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SIENKIEWICZ 


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ON   THE    BRIGHT   SHORE 


OF  CALIF.   LIBBABY,   L0i>  ALGJSLgg 


THE  WORKS  OF 

HENRYK   SIENKIEWICZ. 

TRANSLATED  BY  JEREMIAH  CURTIN. 

MANIA,    i  vol. 

YANKO  THE  MUSICIAN,  and  Other  Stories,    i  vol. 
LILLIAN  MORRIS,  and  Other  Stories,    i  vol. 
LET  Us  FOLLOW  HIM.    i  vol. 

fiJtstorical  Jftomanrcs.      , 

Poland,  Turkey,  Russia,  and  Sweden. 
WITH  FIRE  AND  SWORD,    i  vol. 
THE  DELUGE.    2  vols. 
PAN  MICHAEL,    i  vol. 

Rome  in  the  time  of  Nero. 
"Quo  VADIS."    i  vol. 

Nobcls  of  IHotiern  $olanU. 
CHILDREN  OF  THE  SOIL,    i  vol. 
WITHOUT  DOGMA.    (Translated  by  Iza  Young.) 
i  vol. 


On  the  Bright  Shore 


BY 

HENRYK    SIENKIEWICZ 

AUTHOR  OF 

"  Quo  Vadis,"  "  With  Fire  and  Sword,"  "  The 
Deluge,"  "Pan  Michael,"  "  Hania,"  etc. 


Authorized  Unabridged  Translation  from  the  Polish 
BY  JEREMIAH    CURTIN 


BOSTON 

LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND   COMPANY 
1898 


Copyright,  1807, 1898, 
BY  JEREMIAH  CURTIN. 


A II  rights  reserved. 


SSntoersttg 
JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


On  the  Bright  Shore 


CHAPTER   I 

artist  was  sitting  beside  Pani  Elzen 
•*-  in  an  open  carriage ;  on  the  front  seat 
were  her  sons,  the  twin  brothers,  Romulus 
and  Remus.  He  was  partly  conversing  with 
the  lady,  partly  thinking  of  a  question  which 
required  prompt  decision,  and  partly  looking 
at  the  sea.  There  was  something  to  look  at. 
They  were  driving  from  Nice  toward  Monte 
Carlo  by  the  so-called  Old  Cornice ;  that  is, 
by  a  road  along  impending  cliffs,  high  above 
the  water.  On  the  left,  the  view  was  hidden 
by  naked  towering  rocks,  which  were  gray, 
with  a  rosy  pearl  tinge ;  on  the  right  was  the 
blue  Mediterranean,  which  appeared  to  He 
5 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

immensely  low  down,  thus  producing  the  ef- 
fect of  an  abyss  and  of  boundlessness.  From 
the  height  on  which  they  were  moving,  the 
small  fishing-boats  seemed  like  white  spots, 
so  that  frequently  it  was  difficult  to  distinguish 
a  distant  sail  from  a  seamew  circling  above 
the  water. 

Pani  Elzen  had  placed  her  hand  on  Svirski's 
arm  ;  her  face  was  that  of  a  woman  delighted 
and  forgetful  of  what  she  is  doing ;  she  gazed 
with  dreamy  eyes  over  the  mirror  of  the  sea. 

Svirski  felt  the  touch ;  a  quiver  of  delight 
ran  through  him,  and  he  thought  that  if  at  that 
moment  Romulus  and  Remus  had  not  been  in 
front  of  them,  he  might  have  placed  his  arm 
around  the  young  woman,  perhaps,  and  pressed 
her  to  his  bosom. 

But  straightway  a  certain  fear  seized  him 
at  the  thought  that  hesitation  would  then  have 
an  end,  and  the  question  be  settled. 

"Stop  the  carriage,  please,"  saip1  Pani 
Elzen. 

Svirski  stopped  the  carriage,  and  they  were 
silent  a  moment. 

6 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  How  quiet  it  is  here  after  the  bustle  of 
Monte  Carlo  !  "  said  the  young  widow. 

"I  hear  only  music,"  answered  the  artist; 
"  perhaps  the  bands  are  playing  on  the  iron- 
clads in  Villa  Franca." 

In  fact,  from  below  came  at  intervals  muf- 
fled sounds  of  music,  borne  thither  by  the  same 
breeze  which  brought  the  odor  of  orange- 
blossoms  and  heliotropes.  Beneath  them 
were  visible  the  roofs  of  villas,  dotting  the 
shore,  and  almost  hidden  in  groves  of  eucalyp- 
tus, while  round  about  were  large  white  spots 
formed  by  blossoming  almond-trees,  and 
rosy  spots  made  by  peach  blossoms.  Lower 
down  was  the  dark-blue  sunlit  bay  of  Villa 
Franca,  with  crowds  of  great  ships. 

The  life  seething  there  presented  a  mar- 
vellous contrast  to  the  deep  deadness  of  the 
naked,  barren  mountains,  above  which  ex- 
tended the  sky,  cloudless  and  so  transparent 
that  it  was  monotonous  and  glassy.  Every- 
thing was  dimmed  and  belittled  amid  that 
calm  greatness;  the  carriage  with  its  occu- 
pants seemed,  as  it  were,  a  kind  of  beetle, 
7 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

clinging    to   the    cliffs    along   which    it   was 
climbing  to  the  summit  with  insolence. 

"  Here  life  ends  altogether,"  said  Svirski, 
looking  at  the  naked  cliffs. 

Pani  Elzen  leaned  more  heavily  on  his 
shoulder,  and  answered  with  a  drowsy,  drawl- 
ing voice,  — 

"  But  it  seems  to  me  that  here  life  begins." 

After  a  moment  Svirski  answered  with  a 
certain  emotion,  "  Perhaps  you  are  right." 

And  he  looked  with  an  inquiring  glance  at 
her.  Pani  Elzen  raised  her  eyes  to  him  in 
answer,  but  dropped  them  quickly,  as  if  con- 
fused, and,  though  her  two  sons  were  sitting 
on  the  front  seat  of  the  carriage,  she  looked 
at  that  moment  like  a  maiden  whose  eyes 
could  not  endure  the  first  ray  of  love.  After 
that,  both  were  silent;  while  from  below 
came  snatches  of  music. 

Meanwhile,  far  away  at  sea,  at  the  very  en- 
trance to  the  bay,  appeared  a  dark  pillar  of 
smoke,  and  the  quiet  of  the  company  was 
broken  by  Remus,  who  sprang  up,  and 
cried,  — 

8 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"Tiens!  le  '  Fohmidable  ' !  " 

Pani  Elzen  cast  a  glance  of  displeasure  at 
her  younger  son.  She  knew  the  value  of 
that  moment,  in  which  every  next  word  might 
weigh  in  her  fate  decisively. 

"Remus,"  said  she,  "will  you  be  quiet?" 

"  But,  mamma,  it  is  the  '  Fohmidable  ' !  "  1 

"  What  an  unendurable  boy !  " 

"  Pouhquoi ? " 1 

"  He  is  a  duhen 1  [duren,  a  simpleton]  ; 
but  this  time  he  is  right,"  called  out  Romulus, 
quickly ;  "yesterday  we  were  at  Villa  Franca," 
—  here  he  turned  to  Svirski.  "You  saw  us 
go  on  velocipedes;  they  told  us  there  that 
the  whole  squadron  had  arrived  except  the 
'  Fohmidable,'  which  was  due  to-day." 

To  this  Remus  answered  with  a  strong 
accent  on  every  last  syllable, — 

"Thou  art  a  duhen,1  thyself!  " 

The  boys  fell  to  punching  each  other  with 
their  elbows.  Pant  Elzen,  knowing  how 

1  Romulus  and  Remus  lisp  or  pronounce  r  in  the  Pa- 
risian manner,  hence  the  use  of  h  instead  of  r  in  the  above 
words,  both  French  and  Polish. 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Svirski  disliked  her  sons'  style  of  speech,  and 
generally  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
reared,  commanded  them  to  be  silent. 

"  I  have  told  you  and  Pan  Kresovich,"  said 
she,  "  not  to  speak  among  yourselves  in  any 
language  but  Polish." 

Kresovich  was  a  student  from  Zurich,  with 
incipient  lung  disease;  Pani  Elzen  had  found 
him  on  the  Riviera,  and  engaged  him  as  tutor 
for  her  sons,  after  her  acquaintance  with 
Svirski,  and  especially  after  a  public  declara- 
tion of  the  malicious  and  wealthy  Pan  Vya- 
drovski,  that  respectable  houses  had  ceased 
to  rear  their  sons  as  commercial  travellers. 

Meanwhile  the  unlucky  "  Formidable  "  had 
spoiled  the  temper  of  the  sensitive  artist. 
After  a  time  the  carriage,  gritting  along  the 
stones,  moved  on. 

"  You  took  their  part,  and  I  brought  then)," 
said  Pani  Elzen,  with  a  sweet  voice;  "you 
are  too  kind  to  the  boys.  But  one  should  be 
here  during  moonlight.  Would  you  like  to 
come  to-night?  " 

"  I  like  to  come  always ;  but  to-night  there 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

will  be  no  moon,  and  of  course  your  dinner 
will  end  late." 

"  That  is  true ;  but  let  me  know  when  the 
next  full  moon  comes.  It  is  a  pity  that  I  did 
not  ask  you  alone  to  this  dinner  —  With  a 
full  moon  it  must  be  beautiful  here,  though  on 
these  heights  I  have  always  a  throbbing  of 
the  heart.  If  you  could  see  how  it  throbs  at 
this  moment;  but  look  at  my  pulse,  you  can 
see  it  even  through  the  glove." 

She  turned  her  palm,  which  was  confined 
so  tightly  in  the  Danish  glove  as  to  be  turned 
almost  into  a  tube,  and  stretched  it  to  Svirski. 
He  took  the  hand  in  both  of  his,  and  looked 
at  it. 

"  No,"  said  he ;  "I  cannot  see  the  pulse 
clearly,  but  perhaps  I  can  hear  it." 

And,  inclining  his  head,  he  put  his  ear 
to  the  buttons  of  her  glove ;  for  a  moment 
he  pressed  the  glove  firmly  to  his  face, 
then  touched  it  lightly  with  his  lips,  and 
said, — 

"  In  years  of  childhood  I  was  able  some- 
times to  catch  a  bird,  and  its  heart  beat  just 
ii 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

this  way.     The  beating  here  is  just  as  in  a 
captured  bird !  " 

She  laughed,  almost  with  melancholy,  and 
repeated,  "  'As  in  a  captured  bird.'  But 
what  did  you  do  with  the  captured  birds?  " 

"  I  grew  attached  to  them,  immensely. 
But  they  always  flew  away." 

"Bad  birds." 

"  And  thus  my  life  arranged  itself,"  con- 
tinued the  artist,  with  emotion ;  "  I  have 
sought  in  vain  for  something  which  would 
consent  to  stay  with  me,  till  at  last  I  have 
lost  even  hope." 

"Do  not  lose  that;  have  confidence,"  an- 
swered Pani  Elzen. 

Svirski  thought  then  to  himself,  that,  since 
the  affair  had  begun  so  long  before,  there 
was  need  to  end  it,  and  let  that  come  which 
God  permits.  He  felt  at  the  moment  like  a 
man  who  closes  his  eyes  and  ears  with  his 
fingers ;  but  he  felt  also  that  it  was  needful 
to  act  thus,  and  that  there  was  no  time  for 
hesitation. 

"  Perhaps  it  would  be  better    for  you  to 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

walk  a  little,"  said  he.  "  The  carriage  will 
follow,  and,  besides,  we  shall  be  able  to  speak 
more  in  freedom." 

"  Very  well,"  answered  Pani  Elzen,  with  a 
resigned  voice. 

Svirski  punched  the  driver  with  his  cane; 
the  carriage  halted ;  and  they  stepped  out. 
Romulus  and  Remus  ran  forward  at  once, 
and  only  stopped,  when  some  tens  of  yards 
ahead,  to  look  from  above  at  the  houses  in 
Eze,  and  roll  stones  into  the  olive-groves 
growing  below.  Svirski  and  Pani  Elzen  were 
left  alone ;  but  that  day  some  fatality  seemed 
to  weigh  on  them,  for  before  they  could  use 
the  moment  they  saw  that  a  horseman, 
coming  from  the  direction  of  Monaco,  had 
stopped  near  Romulus  and  Remus.  Behind 
him  was  a  groom  dressed  in  the  English 
manner. 

"  That  is  De  Sinten,"  said  Pani  Elzen,  with 
impatience. 

"  Yes,  I  recognize  him." 

In  fact,  they  saw  next  moment  before  them 
a  horse's  head,  and  above  it  the  equine  face 
13 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

of  young  De  Sinten.  He  hesitated  whether 
or  not  to  salute  and  go  on,  but  considering 
evidently  that  if  they  had  wanted  to  be  alone 
they  would  not  have  brought  the  boys,  he 
sprang  from  the  horse,  and,  beckoning  to  the 
groom,  began  to  greet  them. 

"  Good-day,"  answered  Pani  Elzen,  some- 
what dryly.  "  Is  this  your  hour?  " 

"  It  is.  Mornings,  I  shoot  at  pigeons  with 
Wilkis  Bey,  so  I  cannot  ride  lest  I  disturb 
my  pulse.  I  am  now  seven  pigeons  ahead 
of  him.  Do  you  know  that  the  '  Formidable ' 
comes  to  Villa  Franca  to-day,  and  to-morrow 
the  admiral  will  give  a  ball  on  deck?  " 

"  We  saw  it  arrive." 

"  I  was  just  going  to  Villa  Franca  to  see 
one  of  the  officers  whom  I  know,  but  it  is 
late.  If  you  permit,  I  will  go  with  you  to 
Monte  Carlo." 

Pani  Elzen  nodded,  and  they  went  on  to- 
gether. De  Sinten,  since  he  was  a  horseman 
by  nature,  began  at  once  to  speak  of  the 
"  hunter  "  on  which  he  had  come. 

"  I  bought  him  from  Waxdorf,"  said  he. 
14 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  Waxdorf  lost  at  trente  et  quarante,  and 
needed  money.  He  bet  inverse,  and  hit 
on  a  lucky  series,  but  aftervVard  fortune 
changed."  Here  he  turned  to  the  horse. 
"  He  is  of  pure  Irish  blood,  and  I  will  give 
my  neck  that  there  is  not  a  better  hunter 
on  the  whole  Cornice;  but  it  is  difficult  to 
mount  him." 

"  Is  he  vicious?  "  inquired  Svirski. 

"  Once  you  are  in  the  saddle  he  is  like 
a  child.  He  is  used  to  me;  but  you,  for 
instance,  could  not  mount  him." 

At  this  Svirski,  who  in  matters  of  sport  was 
childishly  vain,  asked  at  once, — 

"  How  is  that?" 

"  Do  not  try,  especially  here  above  the 
precipice  !  "  cried  Pani  Elzen. 

But  Svirski  had  his  hand  on  the  horse's 
shoulder  already,  and  a  twinkle  later  was  in 
the  saddle,  without  the  least  resistance  from 
the  horse ;  perhaps  the  beast  was  not  at  all 
vicious,  and  understood,  too,  that  on  the  edge 
of  a  cliff  above  a  precipice  it  was  better  not 
to  indulge  in  pranks. 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

The  rider  and  the  horse  disappeared  at  a 
slow  gallop  along  the  turn  of  the  road. 

"  He  rides  very  well,"  said  De  Sinten ; 
"  but  he  will  spoil  my  horse's  feet.  There  is 
no  road  here  for  riding." 

"  The  horse  has  turned  out  perfectly  gen 
tie,"  said  Pani  Elzen. 

"  I  am  greatly  pleased  at  this,  for  here  an 
accident  happens  easily — and  I  was  a  little 
afraid." 

On  his  face,  however,  there  was  a  certain 
concern ;  first,  because  what  he  had  said  about 
the  horse's  stubbornness  at  mounting  seemed 
like  untruth,  and,  second,  because  there  ex- 
isted a  secret  dislike  between  him  and  Svirski. 
De  Sinten  had  not,  it  is  true,  at  any  time  serious 
designs  touching  Pani  Elzen;  but  he  would 
have  preferred  that  no  one  should  oppose 
him  in  such  designs  as  he  had.  Besides,  some 
weeks  before,  he  and  Svirski  had  engaged  in 
a  rather  lively  talk.  De  Sinten,  who  was  an 
irrepressible  aristocrat,  had  declared,  during 
a  dinner  at  Pani  Elzen's,  that  to  his  thinking 
man  begins  only  at  the  baron.  To  this  Svirski, 
16 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

in  a  moment  of  ill-humor,  answered  with  an 
inquiry,  — 

"  In  what  direction?  "  (up  or  down). 

De  Sinten  took  this  reply  so  seriously  that 
he  sought  advice  of  Vyadrovski  and  Council- 
lor Kladzki  as  to  how  he  ought  to  act,  and 
learned,  with  genuine  astonishment,  that 
Svirski  had  a  coronet  on  his  shield.  A 
knowledge  of  the  artist's  uncommon  strength, 
and  his  skill  in  shooting,  had  a  soothing  effect, 
perhaps,  on  the  baron's  nerves ;  it  suffices 
that  the  negotiation  had  no  result,  except  to 
leave  in  the  hearts  of  both  men  an  indefinite 
dislike.  From  the  time  that  Pani  Elzen 
seemed  to  incline  decidedly  toward  Svirski, 
the  dislike  had  become  quite  Platonic. 

But  this  dislike  was  more  decided  in  the 
artist  than  in  De  Sinten.  No  one  had  sup- 
posed that  the  afifair  of  the  widow  and  the 
artist  could  end  in  marriage ;  but  among  their 
acquaintances  people  had  begun  to  speak  of 
Svirski's  feelings  toward  Pani  Elzen,  and  he 
had  a  suspicion  that  De  Sinten  and  his  party 
were  ridiculing  him  as  a  man  of  simple  mind. 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

They,  it  is  true,  did  not  betray  themselves  by 
the  slightest  word  on  any  occasion;  but  in 
Svirski  the  conviction  was  glimmering  that 
his  suspicion  was  justified,  and  this  pained 
him,  specially  out  of  regard  for  Pani  Elzen. 

He  was  glad,  therefore,  that  on  this  occa- 
sion, thanks  to  the  horse's  gentleness,  De 
Sinten  seemed  a  person  who,  without  reason, 
told  things  which  were  untrue ;  hence  he  said, 
on  returning,— 

"  A  good  horse,  and  specially  good  because 
he  is  as  tame  as  a  sheep." 

He  dismounted,  and  they  walked  on  to- 
gether, three  of  them,  and  even  five,  for 
Romulus  and  Remus  followed  closely.  Pani 
Elzen,  to  spite  De  Sinten,  and  perhaps  from 
a  wish  to  be  rid  of  him,  turned  the  conversa- 
tion to  pictures  and  art  in  general,  of  which 
the  young  sportsman  had  not  the  faintest 
idea.  But  he  began  to  retail  gossip  from  the 
Casino,  and  congratulated  the  young  woman 
on  her  luck  of  yesterday;  she  listened  with 
constraint,  being  ashamed,  in  presence  of 
Svirski,  of  having  taken  part  in  play.  Her 
18 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

vexation  was  increased  when  Romulus  called 
out,  — 

"  Mamma,  but  did  you  not  tell  us  that  you 
never  play;  will  you  give  us  a  louis  d'or  for 
that?" 

"  I  sought  Councillor  Kladzki,  wishing  to 
invite  him  to  dinner  to-day;  when  I  found 
him  he  and  I  played  a  little,"  answered  she, 
as  if  speaking  to  no  one  in  particular. 

"  Give  us  a  louis  d'or  apiece,"  repeated 
Romulus. 

"  Or  buy  us  a  little  roulette  table,"  added 
Remus. 

"  Do  not  annoy  me !  Let  us  go  to  the 
carriage,"  said  she,  turning  to  Svirski.  Then 
she  took  farewell  of  De  Sinten. 

"  At  seven,  did  you  say?  "  inquired  he. 

"  At  seven." 

They  parted ;  and  after  a  while  Svirski 
found  himself  again  at  the  side  of  the  beau- 
tiful widow.  This  time  they  occupied  the 
front  seat,  since  they  wished  to  look  at  the 
setting  sun. 

"  People   say  that   Monte    Carlo    is    more 
'9 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

sheltered  than  Mentone,"  remarked  the 
widow;  "but,  oh,  how  it  bores  me  at  times! 
That  endless  noise,  that  movement,  those 
acquaintances  which  one  must  make,  willingly 
or  unwillingly.  Sometimes  I  wish  to  rush 
away  and  spend  the  rest  of  the  winter  in 
some  quiet  corner  where  I  should  see  only 
those  whom  I  see  with  pleasure —  What 
place  do  you  like  best?" 

"I  like  San  Raphael  greatly;  the  pines 
there  go  down  to  the  sea." 

"  True,  but  it  is  far  from  Nice,"  answered 
she,  in  a  low  voice ;  "  and  your  studio  is  in 
Nice." 

A  moment  of  silence  followed,  after  which 
Pani  Elzen  inquired,  — 

"But  Antibes?" 

"  True  !  I  forgot  Antibes." 

"  Besides,  it  is  so  near  Nice.  After  dinner 
you  will  stop  with  me  a  little  and  talk  of  a 
place  where  one  might  escape  from  society." 

"  Do  you  wish  really  to  flee  from  people?  " 

"  Let  us  talk  sincerely;   I  detect  doubt  in 
your  question.     You  suspect  me  of  speaking 
20 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

as  I  do  so  as  to  appear  better,  or  at  least  less 
shallow,  than  I  am  —  And  you  have  a  right 
to  your  suspicion,  since  you  see  me  always 
in  the  whirl  of  society.  But  my  answer  is 
this :  We  move  frequently  with  a  force  not 
our  own,  because  once  we  were  impelled  in  a 
given  direction,  and  endure  now  in  spite  of 
us  the  results  of  previous  life.  As  to  me,  it 
may  be  that  this  is  because  of  the  weakness 
of  woman,  who  has  not  strength  to  free  her- 
self without  the  aid  of  another  —  I  confess 
this  —  But  that  fact  does  not  save  one  from 
yearning  greatly  and  sincerely  for  some  quiet 
corner  and  a  calmer  life.  Let  people  say 
what  they  choose,  we  women  are  like  climbing 
plants,  which  creep  along  the  ground  when 
they  cannot  grow  upward.  For  this  reason, 
people  are  often  mistaken,  thinking  that  we 
creep  of  our  own  choice.  By  creeping,  I 
understand  empty  society  life,  without  lofty 
thought.  But  how  am  I,  for  example,  to 
defend  myself  against  this  !  Some  one  begs 
permission  to  present  an  acquaintance ;  the 
man  presented  makes  a  visit,  after  that  a 

21 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

second,  a  third,  and  a  tenth  —  what  am  I  to 
do?  Not  permit  the  presentation?  Of 
course  I  permit  it;  even  for  this  reason,  that 
the  more  people  I  receive  the  more  indiffer- 
ent I  am  to  each,  and  the  more  each  is 
prevented  from  occupying  an  exceptional 
position." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Svirski. 

"  But  do  you  see  that  in  this  way  is  created 
that  current  of  social  life  from  which  I  can- 
not tear  myself  with  my  own  strength,  and 
which  wearies  and  tortures  me  to  such  a 
degree  that  at  times  I  could  scream  out 
from  pain." 

"  I  believe  you." 

"  You  ought  to  believe  me ;  but  believe 
also  that  I  am  better  and  less  vain  than  I 
seem.  When  doubts  come  to  you,  or  when 
people  speak  ill  of  me,  think  to  yourself: 
She  must  have  her  good  side.  If  you  will 
not  think  thus,  I  shall  be  very  unhappy." 

"  I  give  you  my  word,  that  I  wish  always 
to  think  the  best  of  you." 

"  And  you  should  think  so,"  said  she,  with 
22 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

a  soft  voice;  "for  though  everything  which 
is  good  in  me  were  more  stifled  than  it  is,  it 
would  bloom  out  afresh  were  I  near  you,  so 
much  depends  on  those  with  whom  one  asso- 
ciates —  I  should  like  to  say  something ; 
but  I  am  afraid  —  " 

"  Say  it." 

"  You  will  not  think  me  fanciful,  or  even 
worse?  I  am  not  fanciful;  I  talk  like  a 
sober-minded  woman  who  states  only  that 
which  is  real,  and  looks  at  things  coolly. 
At  your  side,  for  example,  I  should  regain 
my  former  spirit,  as  calm  and  collected  as 
when  I  was  a  girl ;  and  now  I  am  almost  a 
grandmother  —  thirty-five  years  of  age." 

Svirski  looked  at  her  with  a  clear  face, 
very  nearly  in  love ;  then  he  raised  her  hand 
slowly  to  his  lips,  and  said,  — 

"  Ah !  In  comparison  with  me  you  are 
really  a  child.  Forty-eight  is  my  age  —  and 
that  is  my  picture  !  "  said  he,  pointing  to  the 
setting  sun. 

She  began  to  gaze  at  that  light  which  was 
reflected  in  her  shining  eyes,  and  said,  in  a 
23 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

low  voice,  as  if  to  herself,  "  Great,  marvellous, 
beloved  sun !  " 

Then  silence  followed.  The  calm  ruddy 
light  was  falling  on  the  faces  of  both.  The 
sun  was  setting  in  genuine  majesty  and 
grandeur.  Beneath  it,  slender  clouds,  re- 
cently blown  asunder,  took  on  the  forms  of 
palm  lilies,  and  were  gleaming  like  gold. 
The  sea  along  the  shore  was  sunk  in  shadow; 
farther  out,  in  open  spaces,  lay  a  boundless 
light.  In  the  valley  the  motionless  cypress- 
trees  were  outlined  sharply  on  the  lily- 
colored  background  of  the  sky. 


24 


CHAPTER   II 

THE  guests  invited  by  Pani  Elzen  as- 
sembled at  the  Hotel  de  Paris  at  seven 
o'clock.  A  separate  room  and  also  a  smaller 
one  adjoining,  in  which  coffee  was  to  be 
served,  had  been  assigned  for  the  dinner. 
The  lady  had  issued  invitations  to  a  dinner 
"without  ceremony;"  but  the  gentlemen, 
knowing  what  to  understand  by  this,  came 
in  dress-coats  and  white  neckties.  Pani 
Elzen  appeared  in  a  pale  rose-colored,  low- 
necked  dress,  with  a  great  fold  in  the  back 
extending  from  the  top  of  the  bodice  to  the 
bottom  of  the  skirt.  She  looked  fresh  and 
young.  She  had  a  finely  cut  face,  and  a 
small  head,  by  which  principally  she  had 
charmed  Svirski  at  the  beginning  of  their 
more  intimate  acquaintance.  Her  plump 
shoulders  had,  especially  at  the  edge  of 
the  dress,  the  appearance  and  transparency 
25 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

of  mother-of-pearl;  but  her  arms  from  the 
elbow  to  the  wrist  were  slightly  reddened, 
seemingly  rough;  that,  however,  merely 
heightened  the  impression  of  their  naked- 
ness. In  general,  she  was  radiant  with  glad- 
ness, good-humor,  and  that  brilliancy  which 
women  have  when  they  are  happy. 

Among  the  invited  guests,  besides  Svirski 
and  De  Sinten,  came  the  old  councillor, 
Kladzki,  with  his  nephew  Sigismund,  a  young 
man  of  no  great  social  experience,  but  for- 
ward, whose  eyes  gleamed  at  Pani  Elzen  too 
expressively,  and  who  did  not  know  how  to 
conceal  what  he  felt ;  next,  was  Prince  Vale- 
rian Porzetski,  a  man  forty  years  of  age,  bald, 
with  a  large  head  coming  to  a  point  at  the 
top  like  that  of  an  Aztec ;  Pan  Vyadrovski, 
rich  and  sarcastic,  the  owner  of  oil  wells  in 
Galicia,  a  lover  of  art  and  a  dilettante ;  finally, 
Kresovich,  a  student,  the  temporary  tutor 
of  Romulus  and  Remus,  a  man  whom  Pani 
Elzen  invited  because  Svirski  liked  his  fanat- 
ical face. 

The  point  with  the  lady  was  always,  and 
26 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

more  especially  on  that  day,  to  have  an  "  in- 
tellectual "  salon,  as  she  expressed  it.  She 
could  not,  however,  turn  the  conversation  at 
first  from  local  gossip  and  the  happenings 
of  the  Casino,  which  Vyadrovski  called  the 
"  Slav  world,"  -  -  more  of  Slav  speech  was 
heard  there,  he  said,  than  any  other.  Vya- 
drovski's  life  in  Monte  Carlo  was  spent  gen- 
erally in  ridiculing  his  fellow-countrymen 
and  the  younger  Slav  brothers.  That  was  a 
hobby  which  he  mounted  gladly,  and  gal- 
loped without  rest.  So  he  began  at  once  to 
relate  how,  two  days  before,  there  remained 
in  the  "  Cercle  de  la  Mediterranee,"  at  six  in 
the  morning,  seven  persons,  all  of  Slav  blood. 

"  We  are  born  thus,"  said  he,  turning  to 
the  hostess.  "  In  other  countries  people 
count:  Nine,  ten,  eleven,  twelve,  etc.;  but 
every  real  Slav  says,  in  spite  of  himself: 
Nine,  ten,  knave,  queen,  king  —  Yes ;  to 
the  Cornice  comes  the  cream  of  our  society, 
and  here  they  make  cheese  of  it." 

Prince  Valerian,  of  peaked  head,  announced 
now,  in  the  tone  of  a  man  who  is  discovering 
27 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

new  truths,  that  every  passion  which  ex- 
ceeds the  measure  is  ruinous,  but  that  to  the 
"  Cercle  de  la  Mediterrane"e  "  belonged  many 
foreigners  of  distinction  with  whom  it  was 
useful  and  worthwhile  to  make  acquaintance. 
It  was  possible  to  serve  one's  country  every- 
where. For  instance,  he  had  met  there 
three  days  before  an  Englishman,  a  friend  of 
Chamberlain,  who  had  inquired  of  him  touch- 
ing our  country;  and  he  described  on  a 
visiting-card  the  economic  and  political  con- 
dition in  general,  and  the  social  aspirations  in 
particular.  Beyond  doubt,  the  card  would 
go,  if  not  to  Chamberlain,  who  is  not  here, 
to  Salisbury,  and  that  would  be  better. 
Probably,  also,  he  would  meet  Salisbury  at 
the  ball  which  the  French  admiral  is  to  give, 
and  during  which  the  whole  "  Formidable  " 
would  be  illuminated  a  giorno  by  electricity. 

Kresovich,  who  was  not  only  a  consump- 
tive, but  a  man  of  another  style  of  thought,  a 
man  who  hated  that  society  in  which  he  was 
forced  to  appear  as  the  tutor  of  Romulus  and 
Remus,  snorted  ironically  and  as  venomously 
28 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

as  a  hyena  when  he  heard  of  this  visiting-card. 
Pani  Elzen,  wishing  to  turn  attention  from 
him,  said,  — 

"  But  here  people  are  putting  forward  the 
wonders  of  electricity.  I  have  heard  that  the 
whole  road  from  Nice  to  Marseilles  will  be 
lighted  by  electricity." 

"An  engineer,  Ducloz,  drew  up  such  a 
plan,"  said  Svirski ;  "  but  he  died  two  months 
ago.  He  was  such  a  fanatical  electrician  that 
very  likely  he  desired  in  his  will  to  have  his 
grave  lighted  by  electricity." 

"  Then,"  said  Vyadrovski,  "  he  should  have 
on  his  tomb  the  inscription,  O  Lord,  grant 
him  eternal  rest,  and  may  electric  light  shine 
on  him  for  the  ages  of  ages.  Amen  !  " 

But  Kladzki,  the  old  councillor,  attacked 
Vyadrovski,  and  said  that  he  was  trifling  with 
grave  subjects  which  were  beyond  witticism ; 
then  he  attacked  the  whole  Riviera.  "  All," 
said  he,  "  from  people  to  things,  is  simply  a 
show  and  a  jest.  Everywhere  they  pretend 
to  be  '  marquises,  counts,  and  viscounts ;  '  but 
they  are  really  on  the  watch  to  snatch  away 
29 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

handkerchiefs.  As  to  comfort,  it  is  the  same. 
In  my  office  at  Veprkoviski,  five  rooms  could 
be  put,  each  as  large  as  the  little  den  which 
they  have  given  me  in  the  hotel.  The  doctors 
have  sent  me  to  Nice  for  fresh  air;  but,  as 
God  lives,  that  Promenade  des  Anglais  has 
the  vile  odor  of  a  lodging-house  in  Cracow; 
my  nephew  Sigismund  can  testify  to  this." 

But  Sigismund's  eyes  were  crawling  out  of 
his  head  as  he  looked  at  Pani  Elzen's  arms ; 
and  he  did  not  hear  what  his  uncle  was 
saying. 

"  Remove  to  Bordighieri,"  said  Svirski. 
"  Italian  dirt  is  artistic  at  least;  while  French 
dirt  is  vile." 

"  Still  you  are  living  in  Nice?  " 

"  I  am,  because  I  could  not  find  a  studio 
beyond  Ventimiglia.  Were  I  to  move,  I 
should  prefer  Antibes,  on  the  other  side." 

When  he  had  said  this,  he  looked  at  Pani 
Elzen.  At  the  corners  of  her  mouth  a  faint 
smile  appeared,  and  she  dropped  her  eyes. 
Next  moment,  however,  wishing,  as  it  seemed, 
to  turn  conversation  toward  art,  she  spoke  of 
3° 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Rumpelmayer's  exhibition,  and  of  the  new 
pictures  which  she  had  seen  two  days  before, 
and  which  the  French  journalist,  Krauss, 
called  impressionist-decadent.  At  this  Vya- 
drovski  raised  his  fork,  and  inquired,  in  the 
tones  of  a  Pyrrho,  — 

"What  are  the  decadents  in  general?" 

"  From  a  certain  point  of  view,  they  are 
people  who  ask  of  art  itself  the  various  sauces 
with  which  it  is  served,"  answered  Svirski. 

Prince  Valerian,  however,  felt  wounded  by 
what  old  Kladzki  had  said  of  "  marquises, 
counts,  and  viscounts." 

"  Even  the  adventurers  who  come  here," 
said  he,  "  are  high-class  adventurers,  and  are 
not  satisfied  with  snatching  the  handkerchief 
from  your  nose.  Here  one  meets  corsairs  of 
grand  style.  But  besides  them  come  all  who 
are  richest  or  most  exquisite  in  the  world. 
Here  financial  magnates  meet  people  of  high 
blood  on  equal  footing;  this  is  especially 
good,  for  let  the  world  refine  itself!  Pan 
Kladzki  should  read  such  a  book  as  the 
'  Idylle  Tragique,'  and  be  convinced  that,  in 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

addition  to  suspected  people,  the  highest 
social  spheres  come  here  also  —  precisely 
such  as  we  shall  meet  on  the  '  Formidable,' 
which  for  that  occasion  is  to  be  lighted  a 
giorno  by  electricity." 

Prince  Valerian  forgot  evidently  that  he 
had  given  information  already  about  the  light- 
ing of  the  "  Formidable."  In  fact,  it  was  not 
the  subject  of  conversation  just  then;  and 
immediately  they  began  to  talk  of  the  "  Idylle 
Tragique."  Young  Kladzki,  mentioning  the 
hero  of  that  novel,  said :  "  It  was  good 
enough  for  such  a  fellow,  since  he  was  dunce 
enough  to  give  up  a  woman  for  a  friend ;  he, 
Kladzki,  would  not  do  that  for  ten  friends,  he 
would  not  for  his  born  brother,  since  that  was 
his  property,  and  his  own."  But  Vyadrovski 
interrupted  him ;  for  French  novels,  with 
which  he  was  carried  away,  were  another 
hobby  of  his  on  which  he  cultivated  a  higher 
school  of  galloping  over  authors  and  their 
productions. 

"  But  what  enrages  me  to  the  utmost,"  said 
he,  "  is  this  sale  of  painted  foxes  for  foxes 
32 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

•» 

of  genuine  color.  If  those  gentlemen  are 
realists,  let  them  write  the  truth.  Have  you 
turned  attention  to  their  heroines?  A  tra- 
gedy begins,  very  well !  the  lady  struggles 
with  herself,  '  wrestles  dreadfully '  through 
half  a  volume  ;  but,  as  God  lives,  I  know 
from  the  first  page  what  will  be,  how  all 
will  end.  What  a  bore,  and  how  often  has 
it  happened  before  this !  I  accept  those 
heroines,  and  their  place  in  literature  too; 
but  let  no  one  sell  them  to  me  for  tragic 
vestals.  What  is  the  tragedy  for  me,  when  I 
know  that  such  rent  souls  have  had  lovers 
before  the  tragedy,  and  will  have  others  after 
it!  They  will  '  struggle'  again  as  they  have 
done  already,  and  everything  will  end  in  the 
same  fashion.  What  a  lie,  what  a  loss  of 
moral  sense,  of  truth,  what  a  turning  of  heads ! 
And  to  think  that  among  us  this  stuff  is  read, 
this  merchandise  accepted  as  genuine;  that 
these  drawing-room  farces  are  taken  as  tra- 
gedies, and  received  as  important !  In  this 
way  all  difference  between  an  honest  woman 
and  a  harlot  is  effaced ;  and  a  society  posi- 
3  33 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

tion  is  created  for  puppets  without  a  nest 
of  their  own.  This  French  gilding  suits  our 
puppets,  and  they  exhibit  themselves  under 
the  authority  of  such  and  such  authors. 
There  is  no  principle  in  it,  no  character,  no 
feeling  of  duty,  no  moral  sense ;  there  is 
nothing  in  it  but  false  aspirations,  and  false 
posing  for  a  psychological  riddle." 

Vyadrovski  was  too  intelligent  not  to  un- 
derstand that  by  speaking  in  this  fashion  he 
was  throwing  stones  at  Pani  Elzen;  but, 
being  thoroughly  malevolent,  he  spoke  so 
purposely.  Pani  Elzen  listened  to  his  words 
with  all  the  greater  vexation,  because  there 
was  truth  in  them.  Svirski  was  burning  with 
a  wish  to  answer  rudely;  but  he  knew  that 
he  could  not  take  Vyadrovski's  words  as 
having  any  application,  so  he  chose  to  give 
a  new  turn  to  the  conversation. 

"  In  French  novels  something  else  has 
always  struck  me,"  said  he;  "namely,  this, 
that  it  is  a  world  of  barren  women.  In 
other  countries,  when  two  people  fall  in  love, 
either  according  to  law  or  outside  of  it,  the 
34 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

result  is  a  child ;  but  in  French  novels,  no 
one  has  children.  How  strange  this  is !  It 
does  not  seem  to  occur  to  those  gentlemen 
who  write  novels  that  love  cannot  remain 
without  results." 

"  As  the  society,  so  the  literature,"  said  old 
Kladzki.  "  It  is  known  that  in  France  popu- 
lation is  decreasing.  In  the  upper  society  a 
child  —  is  an  exception  !  " 

"  Mais  c'est  plus  commode  et  plus  Elegant," 
answered  De  Sinten. 

"  The  literature  of  sated  idlers  who  must 
disappear  with  it,"  said  Kresovich,  who  had 
snorted  previously. 

"  What  do  you  say?  "  inquired  De  Sinten. 

The  student  turned  his  resolute  face  to 
the  baron,  "  I  say  the  literature  of  sated 
idlers !  " 

Prince  Valerian  Discovered  America  a 
second  time.  "  Every  class  has  its  beauties 
and  its  pleasures,"  said  he.  "  I  have  two 
passions :  politics  and  photography." 

But  the  dinner  was  nearing  its  end ;  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  later  all  passed  into  the 
35 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

adjoining  room  for  coffee.  It  seemed  to 
Pani  Elzen  that  a  certain  negligence  ought 
to  please  Svirski,  as  he  was  an  artist  and 
somewhat  of  a  gypsy,  so  she  lighted  a  very 
slender  cigarette,  and,  leaning  on  the  arm  of 
her  easy-chair,  crossed  her  legs.  But,  being 
of  comparatively  low  stature,  and  a  trifle 
broad  in  the  hips,  she  raised  her  dress  too 
high  by  this  posture.  Young  Kladzki  dropped 
his  match  immediately,  and  looked  for  it  so 
long  that  his  uncle  punched  him  slightly  in 
the  side,  and  whispered  angrily,  — 

"What  are  you  thinking  of;  where  are 
you?" 

The  young  man  straightened  himself  and 
said  in  a  whisper,  "That  is  what  I  do  not 
know." 

Pani  Elzen  knew  from  experience  that  even 
well-bred  men,  when  they  can  take  some  ad- 
vantage, become  rude  in  presence  of  women, 
especially  if  those  women  are  unprotected. 
This  time  she  had  not  observed  young 
Kladzki's  movement;  but  when  she  saw  the 
unrestrained  and  almost  cynical  smile  with 
36 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

which  he  answered  his  uncle,  she  felt  con- 
vinced that  he  was  talking  of  her.  And  in 
her  heart  she  had  a  contempt  for  all  that  so- 
ciety except  Svirski  and  Kresovich,  the  tutor, 
whom  she  suspected  of  being  in  love  with 
her,  notwithstanding  his  hatred  for  women  of 
her  circle. 

But  that  evening  Vyadrovski  brought  her 
almost  to  a  nervous  attack;  for  it  seemed  as 
though  for  what  he  had  eaten  and  drunk,  he 
had  undertaken  to  poison  every  spoonful  of 
her  coffee,  and  every  moment  of  her  time. 
He  spoke  generally,  and  as  it  were  objec- 
tively, of  women,  without  crossing  the  bounds 
of  politeness,  but  at  the  bottom  of  his  words 
there  was  not  only  cynicism,  but  a  complete- 
ness of  allusion  to  Pani  Elzen's  character  and 
social  position,  which  was  simply  offensive, 
and  to  her  immensely  disagreeable,  especially 
before  Svirski,  who  both  suffered  and  was 
impatient. 

A  stone  fell  from  her  heart,  therefore,  when 
at  last  the  guests  went  away  and  only  the 
artist  remained. 

37 


On  the   Bright  Shore 

"  Aa  !  "  exclaimed  she,  breathing  deeply, 
"  I  feel  the  beginning  of  neuralgia,  and  I 
know  not  myself  what  is  happening  to  me." 

"They  tormented  you?" 

"  Yes,  yes  —  and  more  than  tormented  !  " 

"  Why  do  you  invite  them?" 

She  approached  him  feverishly,  as  if  losing 
control  of  her  nerves,  and  said,  — 

"  Sit  quietly,  do  not  move  !  I  cannot  tell 
—  perhaps  I  destroy  myself  in  your  eyes; 
but  I  need  this  as  a  medicine.  Oh,  yes  !  To 
remain  a  moment  in  this  way  at  the  side  of 
an  honest  man  —  a  moment  in  this  way!  " 

All  at  once  her  eyelids  were  bedewed 
abundantly;  but  she  put  her  finger  to  her 
lips  time  after  time  as  a  sign  not  to  speak, 
and  to  let  her  remain  silent. 

But  Svirski  was  moved,  since  he  had  always 
grown  soft  as  wax  at  sight  of  woman's  tears. 
The  confidence  which  she  showed  him,  con- 
quered the  man  and  filled  his  heart  with  ten- 
derness. He  understood  that  the  decisive 
moment  had  come,  so,  putting  his  arm  around 
her,  he  said, — 

38 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  Stay  with  me  forever ;  give  me  a  right  to 
yourself." 

Pani  Elzen  made  no  answer;  great  tears 
were  flowing  from  her  eyes,  but  they  were 
silent  tears. 

"  Be  mine,"  repeated  Svirski. 

She  put  her  hand  on  his  other  shoulder, 
and  nestled  up  to  him  as  a  child  to  its 
mother. 

Svirski,  bending  over,  kissed  her  forehead, 
then  he  fell  to  kissing  tears  from  her  eyes, 
and  gradually  the  flame  seized  him ;  in  a 
moment  he  caught  her  in  his  athletic  arms, 
pressed  her  -with  all  his  strength  to  his  breast, 
and  sought  her  lips  with  his  lips.  But  she 
defended  herself. 

"  No  !  no !  "  said  she,  with  panting  voice. 
"  Thou  art  not  like  others,  —  later !  No  ! 
no  !  Have  pity  !  " 

Svirski  held  her  in  his  embrace ;  she  bent 
backward  ;  at  that  moment  he  was  just  like 
other  men ;  happily  for  Pani  Elzen,  there 
was  a  knock  at  the  door.  They  sprang 
apart. 

39 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"Who  is  there?"  inquired  Pani  Elzen, 
impatiently. 

The  gloomy  head  of  Kresovich  appeared 
in  the  doorway. 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  he,  in  a  broken  voice. 
"  Romulus  is  coughing,  and  perhaps  he  has  a 
fever;  I  thought  it  necessary  to  inform  you." 

Svirski  stood  up. 

"  Should  you  not  send  for  a  doctor?  " 

Pani  Elzen  had  recovered  her  usual  self- 
possession  already. 

"I  thank  you,"  said  she;  "if  necessary, 
we  will  send  from  the  hotel ;  but  first  I  must 
see  the  boy.  Thank  you  !  but  I  must  go,  — 
so  till  to-morrow  !  Thank  you  !  " 

And  she  stretched  her  hand  to  him,  which 
Svirski  raised  to  his  lips. 

"  Till  to-morrow  —  and  every  day.  Till 
we  meet  again  !  " 

Pani  Elzen,  when  alone  with  Kresovich, 
looked  at  him  inquiringly,  and  asked, — 

"  What  is  the  trouble  with  Romulus?  " 

The  student   grew  paler  than    usual,   and 
answered,  almost  rudely,  — 
40 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  Nothing." 

"What  does  this  mean?"  asked  she,  with 
a  frown. 

"It  means  —  dismiss  me,  otherwise — I 
shall  go  mad ! "  And  turning,  he  walked 
out.  Pani  Elzen  stood  for  a  moment  with 
flashes  of  anger  in  her  eyes  and  with  wrinkled 
brows ;  but  her  forehead  smoothed  grad- 
ually. She  was  thirty-five  years  of  age,  it 
is  true,  but  here  was  a  fresh  proof  that  no 
man  had  thus  far  been  able  to  resist  her. 
Next  moment  she  went  to  the  mirror  as  if  to 
seek  in  it  confirmation  of  that  thought. 

Svirski  returned  to  Nice  in  a  car  without 
other  passengers ;  he  raised  to  his  face  from 
moment  to  moment  a  hand  which  retained 
the  odor  of  heliotrope.  He  felt  disturbed, 
but  also  happy;  and  the  blood  was  rushing 
to  his  head,  for  his  nostrils  were  inhaling 
Pani  Elzen's  favorite  perfume. 


CHAPTER   III 

NEXT  morning  the  artist  woke  with  a 
heavy  head,  as  if  after  a  night  spent 
in  drinking,  and,  moreover,  with  great 
alarm  in  his  heart.  When  light  falls  in 
the  daytime  on  theatrical  decorations,  that 
which  seemed  magic  the  night  before  looks 
a  daub.  In  life,  the  same  thing  takes  place. 
Nothing  unexpected  had  happened  to  Svirski. 
He  knew  that  he  had  been  going  toward 
this,  that  he  must  go  to  it;  but  now,  when 
the  latch  had  fallen,  he  had  a  feeling  of 
incomprehensible  fear.  He  understood  that 
as  late  as  yesterday  he  might  have  with- 
drawn; and  regret  took  possession  of  him. 
In  vain  did  he  repeat  to  himself  that  it  was 
not  the  time  for  reasoning.  Various  re- 
proaches which  formerly  he  had  made  to 
himself  regarding  Pani  Elzen,  and  above  all 
regarding  marriage  with  her,  returned  to 
42 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

him  with  renewed  force.  The  voice  which 
formerly  had  whispered  unceasingly  in  his 
ear,  "  Do  not  be  a  fool ! "  began  to  cry, 
"Thou  art  a  fool !"  And  he  could  not  put 
down  this  voice  either  by  arguments  or  by 
repeating,  "  It  has  happened  ! "  for  reason 
told  him  that  the  folly  had  become  a  fact, 
and  that  the  cause  lay  in  his  own  weakness. 

At  that  thought  shame  possessed  him. 
For  had  he  been  young,  he  would  have  had 
youth  as  his  excuse.  Had  he  made  the 
acquaintance  of  that  lady  on  the  Riviera, 
had  he  heard  nothing  of  her  before,  his 
ignorance  of  her  character  and  her  past 
would  have  justified  him ;  but  he  had  met 
her  before.  He  had  seen  her  rarely,  it  is 
true ;  but  he  had  heard  enough,  when  people 
in  Warsaw  spoke  more  of  her  than  of  any 
one  else.  She  was  called  there  the  "Won- 
der woman,"  and  humorists  had  sharpened 
their  wits  on  her,  as  a  knife  is  sharpened 
on  a  grindstone;  this,  however,  had  not 
prevented  men  from  crowding  to  her  salon. 
Women,  though  less  favorable,  received  her 
43 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

also  out  of  regard  for  the  remoter  or  nearer 
relationship  which  connected  her  with  the 
society  of  the  city.  Some,  especially  those 
whose  interest  it  was  that  opinion  in  general 
should  not  be  too  strict,  even  rose  in  de- 
fence of  the  beautiful  widow.  Others,  less 
yielding,  still  did  not  dare  to  close  their 
doors  against  her,  for  the  reason  that  they 
had  not  courage  to  take  this  course  earlier 
than  others.  Once  a  local  comedy  writer, 
on  hearing  some  one  reckon  Pani  Elzen 
among  the  "demi-monde,"  answered,  "She 
is  neither  the  half  world  nor  the  whole 
world,  she  is  rather  three-quarters." 

But  since  everything  in  great  cities  is 
effaced,  Pani  Elzen's  position  was  effaced  in 
time.  Her  friends  said,  "We  cannot,  of 
course,  ask  too  much  of  Helena;  but  she 
has  her  own  really  good  traits."  And,  with- 
out noting  it,  they  conceded  greater  freedom 
to  her  than  to  other  women.  At  one  time 
it  was  stated  by  some  one  that  for  a  period 
before  the  death  of  her  husband  she  had  not 
lived  with  him;  at  another  it  was  whispered 
44 


On  the   Bright  Shore 

that  she  was  rearing  Romulus  and  Remus 
like  jesters,  or  that  she  had  no  thought  for 
them  of  any  kind;  but  to  such  malevolent 
statements  attention  would  have  been  turned 
only  if  Pani  Elzen  had  been  a  woman  of  less 
beauty  and  less  wealth,  or  had  kept  a  less 
hospitable  house.  Among  themselves,  men 
had  not  been  backward  in  speaking  of  the 
"Wonder  woman,"  —  not  even  those  who 
were  in  love  with  her;  they  talked  of  her 
through  jealousy;  only  those  were  silent 
who,  at  the  given  moment,  were  fortunate, 
or  who  wished  to  pass  as  more  fortunate  than 
others.  In  general,  malice  was  such  that 
according  to  report  Pani  Helena  had  one 
man  for  the  winter  in  the  city,  and  another 
for  the  summer. 

Svirski  knew  all  this.  He  knew  it  better 
than  other  men,  for  an  acquaintance  of  his 
in  Warsaw,  a  certain  Pani  Bronich,  a  near 
relative  of  the  beautiful  widow,  told  him  of 
an  event  painful  to  Pani  Elzen,  which  ended 
in  a  grievous  illness.  "What  that  rjoor 
Helena  suffered,  God  alone  knows ;  but  per- 
45 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

haps  in  His  mercy  He  brought  it  about 
before  the  time,  so  as  to  save  her  from 
greater  moral  suffering. "  Svirski,  however, 
admitted  that  this  "event  before  the  time" 
might  be  a  pure  invention;  still  it  was  less 
possible  for  him  than  for  others  to  be  de- 
ceived as  to  Pani  Elzen's  past,  and  least  of 
all  was  it  possible  for  him  to  believe  that 
she  was  a  woman  to  whom  he  could  confide 
his  peace  with  safety. 

Still,  all  these  facts  roused  his  curiosity, 
and  drew  him  to  her  specially.  When  he 
heard  of  her  presence  at  Monte  Carlo,  he 
desired,  with  intentions  not  entirely  honest, 
perhaps,  to  approach  her  and  know  her 
better.  He  wanted  also,  as  an  artist,  to 
analyze  the  charm  exercised  on  men  by  that 
woman,  who  was  talked  of  everywhere. 

But  he  met  only  disenchantment  from  the 
first.  She  was  beautiful  and  physically 
attractive;  but  he  saw  that  she  lacked  good- 
ness and  kindness  toward  people.  In  her 
eyes  a  man  was  of  value  only  in  so  far  as  he 
was  useful  to  her  in  some  way.  Beyond 
46 


On  the   Bright  Shore 

that,  she  was  as  indifferent  as  a  stone. 
-Svirski  did  not  note  in  her  either  any  feel- 
ing for  mental  life,  art,  or  literature.  She 
took  from  them  what  she  needed,  giving 
nothing  in  return.  He,  as  an  artist  and  a 
man  of  thought,  understood  perfectly  that 
such  a  relation  betrays  at  the  basis  of  things 
a  nature  which,  despite  all  elegant  sem- 
blances, is  vain,  rude,  and  barbarous.  But 
to  him  women  of  that  kind  had  been  known 
from  of  old.  He  knew  that  they  impose  on 
the  world  by  a  certain  force  which  position 
and  a  mighty  merciless  egotism  confers. 
Of  that  sort  of  creature  it  had  been  said 
often  in  his  presence,  "A  cold,  but  clever 
woman."  He  had  always  thought  of  such 
persons  without  respect  and  with  contempt. 
They  were  to  his  mind  devoid  not  only  of 
lofty  spiritual  finish,  but  of  intellect.  Beasts 
have  the  mind  which  snatches  everything 
for  itself,  and  leaves  nothing  to  others. 

In  Pani  Elzen,  as  in  Romulus  and  Remus, 
he  saw  a  type  in  which  there  is  no  culture 
below  the  surface;  beneath   is  an  unknown 
47 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

plebeian  depth.  Beyond  that,  he  was  struck 
by  her  cosmopolitan  character.  She  was 
like  a  coin,  so  worn  that  one  could  hardly 
discover  to  what  country  it  belonged.  And 
he  was  penetrated  by  disgust,  not  only  as  a 
man  of  qualities  opposite  to  hers,  but  also  as 
a  man  of  a  society  really  higher,  and  who 
knew  that  in  England,  for  instance,  or 
France  or  Italy,  people  would  not  deny  the 
soil  from  which  they  had  grown,  and  would 
look  with  contempt  on  cosmopolitan  twigs 
without  a  root. 

Vyadrovski  was  right  when  he  said  that 
Romulus  and  Remus  were  reared  like  com- 
mercial travellers,  or  like  porters  in  a  great 
hotel.  It  was  known  universally  that  Pani 
Elzen's  father  possessed  a  title,  that  was 
true;  but  her  grandfather  was  the  manager 
of  an  estate;  and  Svirski,  who  had  a  high 
sense  of  humor,  thought  it  ridiculous  that 
these  great-grandsons  of  a  farm  bailiff  not 
only  did  not  know  Polish  well,  but  like 
genuine  Parisians  could  not  pronounce  r. 
They  offended  him  too  in  his  character  of  an 
48 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

artist.  The  boys  were  good-looking,  even 
beautiful;  Svirski,  however,  felt,  with  his 
subtle  artistic  sense,  that  in  those  two  bird 
skulls,  which  resembled  each  other,  and  in 
those  faces,  the  beauty  was  not  inherited 
through  a  series  of  generations,  but  was  as 
if  by  accident,  by  physical  chance,  which 
had  come  from  their  twinship.  In  vain  did 
he  say  to  himself  that  their  mother  too  was 
beautiful ;  the  feeling  adhered  to  him  always 
that  that  beauty  did  not  belong  to  the  mother 
or  the  sons,  and  that  in  this,  as  in  the  ques- 
tion of  property,  they  were  parvenus.  It 
was  only  after  long  intercourse  with  them 
that  this  impression  was  weakened. 

Pani  Elzen,  from  the  beginning  of  their 
acquaintance,  commenced  to  prefer  Svirski 
and  to  attract  him.  He  was  of  more  value 
to  her  than  the  rest  of  her  acquaintances; 
he  bore  a  good  family  name;  he  had  consid- 
erable property  and  a  great  reputation.  He 
lacked  youth,  it  is  true;  but  Pani  Elzen  her- 
self was  thirty-five  years  of  age,  and  his 
form  of  a  Hercules  might  take  the  place  of 

4  49 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

youth.  Finally,  for  a  woman  who  had  been 
mentioned  without  respect,  to  marry  him 
meant  the  recovery  of  honor  and  position. 
She  might  suspect  him  of  other  inclinations 
and  a  fickle  disposition;  but  he  possessed 
kindness  and  —  like  every  artist  —  a  certain 
basis  of  simplicity  in  his  soul ;  hence,  Pani 
Elzen  thought  herself  able  to  bend  him  to 
her  will.  In  the  end  of  ends  she  was  influ- 
enced not  by  calculation  only,  but  by  this 
too,  that  as  he  let  himself  be  attracted,  he 
attracted  her.  At  last  she  said  to  herself 
that  she  loved  him,  and  she  even  believed 
that  she  did. 

With  him  that  happened  which  happens 
to  many,  even  perfectly  intelligent  people. 
His  reason  ceased  to  act  when  his  inclina- 
tions were  roused,  or,  worse  still,  it  entered 
their  service;  instead  of  striving  to  conquer, 
it  undertook  to  find  arguments  to  justify 
them.  In  this  fashion  Svirski,  who  knew 
and  understood  every  weak  point,  began  to 
make  excuses,  twisting,  mollifying,  explain- 
ing. "It  is  true,"  thought  he,  "that  neither 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

her  nature  nor  her  conduct,  so  far,  give 
guarantees ;  but  who  can  say  that  she  is  not 
tortured  by  her  present  life,  that  she  is  not 
yearning  with  all  her  soul  for  another  ?  In 
her  action  there  is  undoubtedly  much  co- 
quetry ;  but  again  who  will  say  that  she  has 
not  developed  that  coquetry  because  she  has 
fallen  in  love  with  me  sincerely?  To  ima- 
gine that  a  person,  even  filled  with  faults 
and  failings,  has  no  good  side,  is  childish. 
What  a  medley  is  the  human  soul !  There 
is  merely  need  of  proper  conditions  to 
develop  the  good  side,  and  the  bad  will  dis- 
appear. Pani  Elzen  has  passed  her  first 
youth.  What  stupidity  to  suppose  that  no 
voice  in  her  is  calling  for  calm,  rest,  honor, 
and  healing.  And  just  for  these  reasons 
perhaps  a  woman  like  her  values  more  than 
others  an  honest  man,  who  would  make  her 
feel  certain  of  all  things. "  This  last  thought 
seemed  to  him  uncommonly  profound  and 
appropriate.  Formerly  sound  judgment  had 
declared  that  Pani  Elzen  wanted  to  catch 
him,  but  now  he  answered,  "She  is  right; 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

we  may  say  of  any  woman,  even  one  of  the 
most  ideal  character,  who  wishes  to  unite 
herself  to  a  man  whom  she  loves,  that  she 
wants  to  catch  him."  As  to  the  future,  the 
hope  also  of  children  quieted  him.  He 
thought  that  he  would  have  something  to 
love,  and  she  would  be  obliged  to  break  with 
vain,  social  life,  for  she  would  not  have  time 
for  it;  and  before  children  could  grow  up, 
her  youth  would  have  passed;  after  that 
her  house  would  attract  her  more  than 
society.  Finally,  he  said,  "  In  every  case 
life  must  arrange  itself;  before  old  age 
comes  I  shall  live  a  number  of  years  with  an 
interesting  and  beautiful  woman,  near  whom 
every  week  day  will  seem  a  festival. " 

And  those  "  few  years  "  became  in  fact  the 
main  charm  for  him.  There  was  something 
humiliating  for  Pani  Elzen  in  this,  that  he 
feared  no  extraordinary  event  for  the  single 
reason  that  her  youth,  and  therefore  possi- 
bilities, must  soon  pass.  He  did  not  confess 
this  to  himself,  though  it  was  the  basis  of 
his  consolation;  and  he  deceived  himself, 
52 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

as  is  ever  the  case  with  people  in  whom 
reason  has  become  the  pander  of  their 
wishes. 

And  now,  after  the  event  of  the  previous 
evening,  he  woke  up  with  immense  alarm 
and  disgust.  He  could  not  avoid  thinking 
of  two  things:  first,  that  if  any  man  had  told 
him  a  month  before  that  he  would  propose  to 
Pani  Elzen,  he  would  have  thought  that  man 
an  idiot'  second,  that  the  charm  of  relations 
with  her  which  lay  in  uncertainty,  in  unfin- 
ished words,  in  the  mutual  divining  of 
glances  and  thoughts,  in  the  deferred  con- 
fessions and  in  mutual  attractions,  was 
greater  than  that  which  flowed  from  the 
present  condition.  For  Svirski  it  had  been 
more  agreeable  to  prepare  the  engagement 
than  to  be  engaged;  now  he  was  thinking 
that  if  in  the  same  proportion  it  would  be 
less  agreeable  to  become  a  husband  than  to 
be  an  affianced,  deuce  take  his  fate.  At 
moments  the  feeling  that  he  was  bound,  that 
he  had  no  escape,  that,  whether  he  wished 
or  not,  he  must  take  Pani  Elzen  with  Romu- 
53 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

lus  and  Remus  into  his  life-boat  seemed  to 
him  simply  unendurable.  Not  wishing  then 
as  a  man  of  honor  to  curse  Pani  Elzen, 
he  cursed  Romulus  and  Remus,  with  their 
lisping,  their  birdlike,  narrow  heads  and 
birdlike  skulls. 

"  I  have  had  my  cares,  but  really  I  have 
been  as  free  as  a  bird,  and  I  could  put  my 
whole  soul  into  my  pictures,"  said  he  to 
himself;  "now  Satan  knows  how  it  will 
be ! "  And  the  cares  of  an  artist,  which  he 
felt  at  that  moment,  spoiled  his  good-humor, 
though  they  turned  his  thoughts  in  another 
direction.  Pani  Elzen  and  the  whole  mar- 
riage question  receded  into  the  second  place; 
and  into  the  first  came  his  picture,  "  Sleep 
and  Death,"  on  which  he  had  been  working 
for  a  number  of  months,  and  to  which  he 
attributed  immense  importance.  This  pic- 
ture was  a  protest  against  the  accepted  idea 
of  death.  Frequently,  while  talking  with 
artists,  Svirski  had  been  indignant  at  Chris- 
tianity because  it  had  brought  into  life  and 
art  the  representation  of  death  as  a  skeleton. 
54 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

That  seemed  to  him  the  greatest  injustice. 
The  Greeks  had  imagined  Thanatos1  as  a 
winged  genius ;  that  was  correct.  What  can 
be  more  disgusting  and  frightful  than  a 
skeleton?  If  death  be  represented  in  that 
way,  it  should  not  be  by  Christians,  who 
conceive  death  as  a  return  to  new  life. 
According  to  Svirski,  the  present  idea  was 
born  in  the  gloomy  German  soul  which 
created  Gothic  architecture,  —  solemn  and 
majestic,  but  as  gloomy  as  if  the  church 
were  a  passage,  not  to  the  glories  of  heaven, 
but  to  underground  gulfs.  Svirski  had 
marvelled  always  that  the  Renaissance  had 
not  recreated  the  symbol  of  death.  Indeed, 
if  Death  had  not  always  been  silent,  and 
had  desired  to  complain,  it  would  have  said, 
"Why  do  people  depict  me  as  a  skeleton? 
A  skeleton  is  just  what  I  have  no  wish  to 
be,  and  will  not  be!"  In  Svirski's  picture 
the  genius  of  Sleep  was  delivering,  mildly 
and  quietly,  the  body  of  a  maiden  to  the 
genius  of  Death,  who,  bending  down,  extin- 

1  Death. 

55 


On  the   Bright  Shore 

guished  in  silence  the  flame  of  a  lamp  burn- 
ing at  her  head. 

Svirski  when  painting  had  said  to  himself, 
"  Oh,  what  wonderful  silence  there  is  here !  " 
and  he  wanted  that  silence  to  appear  from 
the  lines,  the  form,  the  expression,  and  the 
color.  He  thought  also  that  if  he  could 
convey  that  feeling,  and  if  the  picture  could 
interpret  itself,  the  work  would  be  both  new 
and  uncommon.  He  had  another  object  also : 
following  the  general  current  of  the  time, 
he  had  convinced  himself  that  painting 
should  avoid  literary  ideas;  but  he  under- 
stood that  there  was  an  immense  difference 
between  renouncing  literary  ideas,  and  a 
passionless  reflection  of  the  external  world 
as  is  shown  in  photographic  plates.  Form, 
color,  stain  —  and  nothing  more !  as  if  the 
duty  of  an  artist  were  to  destroy  in  himself 
the  thinking  essence!  He  recollected  that 
whenever  he  had  seen  pictures  by  English 
artists,  for  example,  he  had  been  impressed, 
first  of  all,  by  the  mental  elevation  of  those 
artists.  It  was  evident  from  their  canvases 
56 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

that  they  were  masters  of  a  lofty  mental 
culture,  greatly  developed  intellects,  think- 
ing deeply,  often  even  learned.  In  Poles,  on 
the  contrary,  he  saw  always  something  which 
was  directly  the  opposite.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  a  few,  or  at  best  of  a  small  number, 
the  generality  was  composed  of  men  capable, 
but  lacking  thought,  men  of  uncommonly 
small  development,  and  devoid  of  all  culture. 
They  lived,  nourished  somewhat  by  crumbs 
of  doctrines  falling  from  the  French  table, 
and  crumbs  which  had  lost  much  of  their 
savor.  These  artists  did  not  admit  for  a 
moment  that  it  was  possible  to  think  out 
anything  original  touching  art,  and  espe- 
cially to  produce  original  creations  in  a 
Polish  style.  To  Svirski  it  was  clear, 
also,  that  a  doctrine  which  enjoins  ab- 
sence of  thought  must  please  their  hearts. 
To  bear  the  title  of  artist,  and  at  the  same 
time  be  mentally  a  minor,  is  convenient. 
To  read,  know,  think  —  deuce  take  such 
toil! 

Svirski  thought  that  if  even  a  landscape  is 
57 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

simply  a  state  of  soul,  that  soul  should  be 
capable  not  only  of  the  moods  of  a  Matsek 
(a  peasant),  but  should  be  subtle,  sensitive, 
developed,  and  expanded.  He  had  quar- 
relled about  this  with  his  comrades,  and  had 
discussed  with  them  passionately.  "  I  do 
not  require  you,"  said  he,  "to  paint  as  well 
as  the  French,  the  English,  or  the  Spanish 
—  I  demand  that  you  paint  better !  Above 
all,  that  you  paint  in  your  own  style;  whoso 
does  not  strive  for  this  should  make  copper 
kettles."  He  showed,  therefore,  that  if  a 
picture  represents  a  stack  of  hay,  or  hens 
scratching  in  a  yard,  or  a  potato  field,  or 
horses  at  pasture,  or  a  corner  of  sleeping 
water  in  a  pond,  there  should,  above  all,  be 
a  soul  in  it ;  hence  he  put  into  his  pictures 
as  much  of  his  own  self  as  he  could,  and 
besides  he  "confessed  himself"  in  other 
pictures,  the  last  of  which  was  to  be  Hypnos 
and  Thanatos  (Sleep  and  Death). 

The  two  geniuses  were   almost   finished ; 
but  he  had  no  success  with  the  head  of  the 
maiden.     Svirski  understood  that  she  must 
58 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

be  not  only  beautiful,  but  possess  great 
individuality.  Models  came  who  were  really 
good,  but  not  sufficiently  individual.  Madame 
Lageat,  at  whose  house  the  artist  had  taken 
his  studio,  and  who  was  an  old  acquaintance, 
had  promised  to  find  him  one,  but  the  work 
advanced  slowly.  Some  new  model  was  to 
appear  that  morning ;  but  she  had  not  come, 
though  it  was  eleven  o'clock. 

All  this,  combined  with  his  yesterday's 
proposal,  caused  Svirski  to  be  in  doubt, 
touching  not  only  his  own  peace  of  mind, 
but  his  artistic  future  in  general,  and  his 
picture  in  particular.  Hypnos  seemed  to 
him  at  that  moment  somewhat  heavy, 
Thanatos  somewhat  stupid.  Finally,  he 
thought  that  since  he  could  not  work,  he 
would  better  stroll  to  the  shore,  where 
a  sight  of  the  sea  might  clear  mind  and 
soul. 

Just  at  the  moment  when  he  was  ready 

to  go,  the  bell  sounded  in  the  entrance,  and 

next   appeared  in   the   studio   two   Scottish 

plaids,  two  heads  of  hair,  and  the  two  bird 

59 


On  the   Bright  Shore 

faces  of  Romulus  and  Remus;  after  them 
came  Kresovich,  paler  than  usual  and 
gloomier  than  ever, 

"Good-day,  sir!  Good-day,  sir!"  cried 
the  two  boys.  "  Mamma  sends  these  roses 
and  invites  you  to  lunch." 

While  speaking,  they  shook  bunches  of  tea 
and  moss  roses,  then  handed  them  to  Svirski, 
and  began  to  run  about  and  look  at  the 
studio.  They  wondered  especially  at  the 
sketches  representing  naked  bodies,  and 
were  stopped  by  them,  for  they  stood  before 
these  sketches,  and,  punching  each  other 
with  their  elbows,  said,  — 

"Tiens!" 

"  Regarde ! " 

Svirski,  who  was  angered  by  this,  looked 
at  his  watch  and  said,  — 

"  If  we  are  to  be  in  time  for  lunch,  we  must 
go  at  once."  He  took  his  hat,  and  they  went 
out.  There  were  no  carriages  near  the 
studio,  so  they  walked.  The  artist  passed 
on  with  Kresovich,  and  inquired,  — 

"Well,  how  are  your  pupils?  " 
60 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Kresovich,  turning  to  him  his  malignant, 
sneering  face,  answered,  — 

"My  pupils?  Oh,  nothing!  They  are  as 
healthy  as  fish,  and  are  comfortable  in  their 
Scottish  dresses.  There  will  be  fun  with 
them;  but  not  for  me." 

"Why  so?" 

"Because  I  am  going  to-morrow." 

"Why  so?"  asked  Svirski,  with  astonish- 
ment. "  I  knew  nothing  of  this ;  no  one 
mentioned  it.  I  am  sorry ! " 

"They  are  not  sorry,"  answered  Kreso- 
vich. 

"  Perhaps  they  do  not  understand." 

"They  will  never  understand.  Neither 
to-day,  nor  at  any  time  in  their  lives! 
Never ! " 

"I  hope  that  you  are  mistaken,"  said 
Svirski,  dryly;  "but  in  every  case  it  is 
unpleasant  for  me  to  hear  this." 

"  Yes  !  "  continued  the  student,  as  if  speak- 
ing to  himself.  "A  pity,  but  a  pity  for  time 
lost.  What  do  they  care  for  me,  or  I  for 
them  ?  It  is  even  better  that  they  should 
61 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

be  as  they  will  be.  A  man  who  wishes  to 
sow  wheat  must  plough  in  the  grass;  and 
the  weaker  it  is,  the  easier  it  is  to  plough  it 
in.  Much  might  be  said  of  this  matter; 
but  it  is  not  worth  while,  especially  not  for 
me.  The  microbes  are  eating  me,  any- 
how." 

"  Consumption  has  never  threatened  you. 
Before  Pani  Elzen  asked  you  to  teach,  she 
questioned  the  doctor  about  your  health  — 
and  you  should  not  wonder  at  that,  for  she 
was  anxious  about  her  children.  The  doctor 
assured  her  that  there  was  no  danger. " 

"  Of  course  not.  I  have  discovered  a  cer- 
tain remedy  against  microbes." 

"What  is  the  remedy?" 

"  It  will  be  announced  in  the  papers. 
Such  discoveries  as  that  are  never  hidden 
under  a  bushel." 

Svirski  glanced  at  Kresovich,  as  if  to  con- 
vince himself  that  the  man  was  not  speaking 
in  a  fever;  meanwhile  they  reached  the 
station,  which  was  swarming  with  people. 

The  visitors  at  Nice  were  going  as  usual 
62 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

in  the  morning  to  Monte  Carlo.  At  the 
moment  when  Svirski  was  buying  a  ticket, 
Vyadrovski  saw  him. 

"Good-morning,"  said  he,  coming  up; 
"you  are  going  to  the  Mountain?" 

"  Yes.     Have  you  a  ticket  ?  " 

"I  have  a  monthly  one.  The  train  will 
be  crowded." 

"We  can  stand  in  a  passage." 

"  This  is  a  genuine  Exodus,  is  it  not  ?  And 
each  one  carries  his  mite  to  the  widow. 
Good-morning,  Pan  Kresovich!  What  say 
you  of  life  in  this  place?  Make  some  re- 
mark from  the  point  of  view  of  your  party." 

Kresovich  blinked  as  if  unable  to  un- 
derstand what  was  asked  of  him,  then 
answered,  - 

"I  enroll  myself  in  the  party  of  the 
silent." 

"  I  know,  I  know  !  —  a  strong  party :  it  is 
cither  silent  or  explosive;  "  and  he  laughed. 

Meanwhile  the  bell  rang,  and  there  was 
need  of  haste.  From  the  platform  came 
the  call,  "En  voiture!  en  voiture!"  The 
63 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

next  moment  Svirski,  Kresovich,  Vyadrovski, 
and  the  two  boys  were  in  the  passage  of  a 
car. 

"With  my  sciatica  this  is  pleasant!"  said 
Vyadrovski.  "  See  what  is  going  on.  Use- 
less to  think  of  a  seat.  A  regular  migration 
of  nations ! " 

Not  only  the  seats,  but  the  passages  were 
crowded  with  people  of  every  nationality. 
Poles,  Russians,  English,  French,  Germans, 
all  going  with  a  rush  to  break  the  bank, 
which  daily  repulsed  and  broke  them,  as  a 
cliff  jutting  out  from  the  shore  breaks  a 
wave  of  the  sea.  Women  were  crowding  up 
to  the  windows,  —  women  from  whom  came 
the  odor  of  iris  and  heliotrope.  The  sun 
shone  on  the  artificial  flowers  in  their  hats, 
on  satin,  on  lace,  on  false  and  genuine 
diamond  ear-rings,  on  jet  glittering  like 
armor  on  projecting  bosoms  increased  with 
india-rubber,  on  blackened  brows,  and  on 
faces  covered  with  .powder  or  rouge,  and 
excited  with  the  hope  of  amusement  and 
play.  The  most  practised  eye  could  not 
64 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

distinguish  the  demi-monde  who  pretended 
to  be  women  of  society,  from  women  of 
society  who  pretended  to  be  of  the  demi- 
monde. Men  with  violets  in  their  button- 
holes examined  that  crowd  of  women  with 
inquiring  and  insolent  gaze,  inspecting  their 
dresses,  their  faces,  their  arms,  and  their 
hips,  with  as  cool  minuteness  as  if  they  were 
inspecting,  for  example,  objects  set  out  for 
sale.  There  was  in  that  throng -a  kind  of 
disorder  of  the  market-place,  and  a  species 
of  haste.  One  moment  the  train  rushed 
into  the  darkness  of  tunnels,  again  the  sun 
glittered  in  the  windows,  the  sky,  the  sea, 
palm  groves,  olive  groves,  villas,  the  white 
almond-trees,  and  a  moment  later  night  em- 
braced all  again.  Station  appeared  after 
station.  New  crowds  thronged  into  the  cars, 
elegant,  exquisite,  hurrying  on,  as  it  were, 
to  a  great,  glad  festival. 

"  What  a  true  picture  of  a  breakneck  life  ! " 
said  Vyadrovski. 

"What  is  this  true  picture?  " 

"This  train.  I  might  philosophize  till 
5  65 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

lunch-time;  but  since  I  prefer  to  philosophize 
after  lunch,  perhaps  you  would  consent  to 
lunch  with  me? " 

"Excuse  me,"  answered  Svirski;  "I  am 
invited  by  Pani  Elzen. " 

"  In  that  case  I  withdraw ! "  And  he 
smiled. 

The  supposition  that  Svirski  was  to  marry 
Pani  Elzen  had  not  entered  his  head  for  an 
instant.  He  felt  even  certain  that  the  artist 
was  concerned  in  the  same  way  as  others; 
but,  being  an  admirer  of  artists  in  general, 
and  of  Svirski  in  particular,  he  felt  glad  that 
Svirski  was  beating  his  opponents. 

"I  represent  property,"  thought  he; 
"Prince  Valerian  a  title;  young  Kladzki 
youth;  and  De  Sinten  the  world  of  fash- 
ionable fools.  All  these,  especially  here, 
possess  no  small  value,  and  still  the  Wonder 
woman  took  Svirski.  She  is  surely  a  person 
of  taste."  And  looking  at  the  artist  he 
began  to  mutter,  "Jo  triumpe,  tu  moraris 
aureos  currus  —  " 

"What  do  you  say?"  inquired  Svirski, 
66 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

who  had  not  heard  because  of  the  noise  of 
the  train. 

"  Nothing !  A  hiccough  from  Horace. 
I  will  say  that  since  you  refuse  me,  I  will 
give  a  breakfast  of  condolence  to  myself,  De 
Sinten,  Prince  Valerian,  and  Kladzki. " 

"Indeed!  why  do  you  wish  to  condole?" 
asked  Svirski,  pushing  forward  suddenly,  and 
looking  into  his  eyes  almost  threateningly. 

"For  the  loss  of  your  society,"  answered 
Vyadrovski,  coolly.  "But,  my  dear  sir, 
what  cause  have  you  in  mind?" 

Svirski  shut  his  lips  and  gave  no  answer; 
but  he  thought,  "  His  cap  burns  the  head  of 
a  criminal.  Were  I  to  marry  any  ordinary 
girl  of  the  country,  the  idea  would  never 
have  come  to  my  head  that  any  man  could 
have  me  in  mind  when  speaking  with  irony 
and  malice." 

Pani  Elzen,  freshened,  young,  and  comely, 
was  waiting  for  them  at  the  station.  It  was 
evident  that  she  had  come  only  the  moment 
before,  for  she  breathed  hurriedly,  and  there 
was  a  flush  on  her  face  which  might  be  taken 
67 


On  the   Bright  Shore 

for  emotion.     When  she  gave  Svirski  both 
hands  at  greeting,  Vyadrovski  thought, — 

"Yes,  he  has  beaten  us  all  by  seven 
lengths.  She  seems  really  in  love." 

And  he  glanced  at  her  almost  favorably. 
In  a  white  flannel  robe,  with  sailor  collar, 
and  with  gleaming  eyes,  she  seemed  to  him, 
in  spite  of  slight  traces  of  powder  on  her 
face,  younger  and  more  enchanting  than 
ever.  For  a  moment  he  was  sorry  that  he 
was  not  the  happy  man  whom  she  had  come 
to  greet,  and  he  thought  that  the  method  by 
which  he  had  sought  her  favor,  through 
relying  on  the  utterance  of  stinging  words, 
was  stupid.  But  he  comforted  himself  with 
the  thought  of  how  he  would  sneer  at  De 
Sinten  and  the  other  "distanced  men." 

After  the  greeting,  Svirski  thanked  her 
for  the  roses;  and  she  listened  with  a  cer- 
tain vexation,  glancing  momentarily  at 
Vyadrovski,  as  if  ashamed  that  he  was  a 
witness  of  those  thanks. 

On  his  part,  Vyadrovski  understood  that 
he  would  do  better  to  leave  them.      But  all 
68 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

went  together  again  in  a  lift  up  the  moun- 
tain on  which  was  the  Casino  and  the  garden. 
On  the  way  Pani  Elzen  recovered  self-con- 
trol thoroughly. 

"  To  lunch  at  once  !  to  lunch  !  "  said  she,  joy- 
ously. "  I  have  an  appetite  like  a  whale  !  " 

Vyadrovski  muttered  to  himself  that  he 
would  like,  God  knows,  to  be  Jonah ;  but  he 
did  not  say  this  aloud,  thinking  that  were 
Svirski  to  take  him  by  the  collar  and  throw 
him  out  of  the  lift,  as  he  deserved  for  his 
joke,  he  would  fall  too  far. 

In  the  garden  he  took  leave  of  them  at  once, 
and  went  his  way;  but  he  looked  around  and 
saw  Pani  Elzen  lean  on  Svirski's  arm  and 
whisper  something  in  his  ear. 

"  They  are  talking  of  the  dessert  after 
lunch,"  thought  he. 

But  he  was  mistaken,  for,  turning  her 
charming  head  to  the  artist,  she  whispered,  — 

"  Does  Vyadrovski  know?" 

"  He  does  not,"  answered  Svirski.  "  I  met 
him  only  at  the  train." 

When  he  had  said  this  he  felt  a  certain  fear 
69 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

at  the  thought  that  Pani  Elzen  mentioned  the 
betrothal  as  a  fixed  fact,  and  that  he  would 
have  to  announce  it  to  every  one ;  but  the 
proximity  of  Pani  Elzen,  her  beauty  and  her 
charms,  so  acted  on  him  that  he  grew  serene 
and  took  courage. 

The  lunch  was  eaten  with  Romulus,  Remus, 
and  Kresovich,  who,  during  a  whole  hour, 
said  not  one  word.  After  black  coffee,  Pani 
Elzen  permitted  her  boys  to  go  toward  Rocca 
Brune  under  guidance  of  their  tutor;  then 
she  asked  Svirski,  — 

"  Which  do  you  prefer,  to  ride  or  to  walk?  " 

"If  you  are  not  tired,  I  would  rather  walk," 
answered  he. 

"  Very  well.  I  am  not  tired  at  all.  But 
where  shall  we  go?  Would  you  look  at  the 
pigeon-shooting?  " 

"  Willingly,  but  we  shall  not  be  alone  there. 
De  Sinten  and  young  Kladzki  will  be  sure  to 
exercise  after  lunch." 

"  Yes ;  but  they  will  not  trouble  us.  When 
pigeons  are  the  question,  these  two  young 
men  grow  deaf  and  blind  to  all  else  that  hap- 
70 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

pens  around  them.  For  that  matter,  let  them 
see  me  with  my  great  man  !  " 

And  turning  her  head,  she  looked  with 
a  smile  into  his  eyes, — 

"  Does  n't  the  great  man  wish  that  himself? " 

"  Of  course,  let  them  see  us !  "  answered 
Svirski,  raising  her  hand  to  his  lips. 

"  Then  we  will  go  down ;  I  like  well  enough 
to  see  the  shooting." 

"  Let  us  go." 

And  after  a  while  they  were  on  the  great 
steps  leading  to  the  shooting-gallery. 

"  How  bright  it  is  here  1  How  pleasant, 
and  how  happy  I  am ! "  said  Pani  Elzen. 

Then,  though  there  was  no  one  near  them, 
she  asked  in  a  whisper,  "  But  you?  " 

"  My  light  is  with  me !  "  answered  he, 
pressing  her  arm  to  his  breast. 

And  they  began  to  descend.  The  day  was 
uncommonly  bright,  the  air  golden  and  azure ; 
the  sea  was  dark  in  the  distance. 

"  We  will  stay  here  awhile,"  said  Pani  Elzen. 
"  The  cages  are  perfectly  visible  from  this 
spot." 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Beneath  them  was  a  green  half-circle  cov- 
ered with  grass,  extending  far  into  the  sea. 
In  this  half-circle  were  placed,  in  a  curving 
line  on  the  ground,  cages  containing  pigeons. 
Moment  after  moment,  some  one  of  those 
cages  was  opened  suddenly,  and  a  frightened 
bird  rushed  through  the  air ;  then  a  shot  was 
heard,  and  the  pigeon  fell  to  the  ground,  or 
even  into  the  sea,  where  boats  were  rocking 
with  fishermen  in  them  waiting  for  their 
prey. 

Sometimes  it  happened,  however,  that  the 
shot  missed.  Then  the  pigeon  flew  toward 
the  sea,  and  afterward,  moving  in  a  circle, 
returned  to  seek  refuge  in  the  cornice  of  the 
Casino. 

"  From  here  we  do  not  see  the  marksmen, 
and  do  not  know  who  fires,"  said  Pani  Elzen, 
joyously,  "  so  we  will  guess ;  if  the  first 
pigeon  falls,  we  will  remain  in  Monte  Carlo ; 
if  it  escapes,  we  will  go  to  Italy." 

"  Agreed.     Let  us  look  !     Out  it  comes  !  " 

A  cage  fell  open  that  instant,  but  the 
bird,  as  if  dazed,  remained  on  the  spot. 
72 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

They  frightened  the  pigeon  by  rolling  a 
wooden  ball  toward  it ;  next  a  shot  thun- 
dered. The  bird  did  not  fall  at  once,  how- 
ever; it  made  straight  for  the  sea,  coming 
down  gradually  to  the  surface,  as  if  wounded ; 
but  at  last  it  vanished  completely  in  the 
brightness  of  the  sun. 

"  Maybe  it  fell,  maybe  it  did  not  fall !  The 
future  is  uncertain,"  said  Svirski,  laughing. 

"  It  is  that  unendurable  De  Sinten,"  said 
Pani  Elzen,  pouting  like  an  angry  child.  "I 
will  bet  that  is  he !  Let  us  go  down." 

And  they  went  farther  down  toward  the 
shooting,  among  cactuses,  sunflowers,  and 
goat  grass  clinging  to  the  walls.  Pani  Elzen 
stopped  at  every  report  of  a  gun,  and  in  her 
white  robe,  on  the  great  steps,  against  the 
green  background,  she  looked  like  a  statue. 

"There  is  nothing,  after  all,  which  drops 
into  such  splendid  folds  as  flannel,"  said 
Svirski. 

"  Oh,  you  artist !  "  exclaimed  the  young 
widow.  And  there  was  irony  in  her  voice, 
for  she  felt  a  little  angered  that  Svirski  at 
73 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

that  moment  was  thinking  not  of  her,  but  of 
the  folds  into  which  various  kinds  of  cloth 
fall. 

"  Let  us  go." 

A  few  minutes  later  they  were  under  the 
roof  of  the  shooting-gallery.  Of  acquaint- 
ances they  found  only  De  Sinten,  who  was 
shooting  on  a  bet  with  a  Hungarian  count. 
The  two  men  were  dressed  in  reddish  Eng- 
lish costume  with  caps  of  the  same  material 
buttoned  down  on  the  visor,  and  barred 
stockings,  both  very  distinguished,  both  with 
witless  faces.  But,  as  Pani  Elzen  had  fore- 
seen, De  Sinten  was  so  occupied  with  shoot- 
ing that  he  did  not  notice  the  widow  and  the 
artist  at  first,  and  only  after  a  time  did  he 
come  and  greet  them. 

"  How  are  you  succeeding?"  inquired  the 
lady. 

"  I  am  victorious  !  I  am  almost  sure  of  a 
great  winning."  Here  he  turned  to  Svirski. 
"But  do  you  shoot?" 

"  Of  course ;  but  not  to-day." 

"And  I,"  continued  De  Sinten,  looking 
74 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

significantly  at  Pani  Elzen,  "  am  to-day  lucky 
in  play." 

They  called  him  just  then  to  the  shooting. 

"  He  wanted  to  say  that  he  is  unlucky  in 
love,"  said  Svirski. 

"  Imbecile  !     Could  it  be  otherwise?  " 

But  in  spite  of  these  words  of  blame,  it 
was  evident  by  the  face  of  the  beautiful  lady 
that  she  was  not  angry  that  testimony  was 
given  in  presence  of  Svirski  of  how  enchant- 
ing she  was,  and  how  much  desired  by  all, — 
and  that  was  not  to  be  the  last  testimony  of 
the  day. 

"  I  wanted  to  ask  you  about  something," 
said  the  artist,  after  a  moment  of  silence ; 
"  but  I  could  not  ask  during  lunch  in  pres- 
ence of  the  boys  and  Kresovich.  Kresovich 
told  me  on  the  way  that  he  was  leaving  you, 
or,  at  least,  that  he  is  the  tutor  of  the  boys 
for  the  last  day.  Is  this  true,  and  why 
is  it?" 

"  It  is  true.  First  of  all,  I  am  not  sure 
of  his  health.  A  few  days  since  I  sent  him 
to  the  doctor.  The  doctor  declared  again 
75 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

that  he  is  not  threatened  with  consumption, 
otherwise  I  should  not  have  kept  him  an 
hour  ;  but  in  every  case  he  looks  worse  and 
worse  ;  he  is  peculiar,  excitable,  often  he  is 
unendurable.  That  is  the  first  reason.  And, 
then,  do  you  know  his  opinions?  They  will 
not  be  accepted  by  Romulus  and  Remus. 
The  boys  are  reared  in  such  fashion  that 
those  opinions  cannot  take  root  in  them. 
Besides,  I  do  not  wish  them  in  childhood 
to  know  of  such  things,  to  meet  with  such 
an  erratic  spirit,  with  such  ill-will  toward  that 
sphere  of  society  to  which  my  sons  belong. 
You  wished  them  to  speak  with  some  one 
in  their  own  language  ;  that  was  sufficient 
for  me ;  that  was  for  me  a  command.  This 
is  the  kind  of  person  that  I  am,  and  such 
shall  I  remain.  I  understood,  too,  that  they 
ought  to  know  their  own  language  some- 
what. At  present  great  attention  is  given 
to  this  subject,  and  I  confess  that  people 
are  right.  But  even  in  this  regard  Kresovich 
is  too  erratic." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  him.     There  are  certain 
76 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

wrinkles  in  the  corners  of  his  eyes  which  show 
him  to  be  a  fanatic.  His  face  is  a  strange 
one,  and  really  he  is  a  curious  man." 

"  Again  art  is  speaking  through  you,"  said 
Pani  Elzen,  smiling.  But  after  a  moment  she 
grew  serious,  and  on  her  face  even  anxiety 
appeared. 

"  I  have  another  reason,"  said  she.  "  It 
is  difficult  for  me  to  speak  of  it;  but  still 
I  will  tell  you,  for  with  whom  am  I  to  be 
outspoken  if  not  with  my  great  man?  — 
such  a  loved  one,  and  so  honest,  who  is 
able  to  understand  everything.  You  see  I 
have  noticed  that  Kresovich  has  lost  his 
head,  and  fallen  in  love  with  me  to  madness ; 
under  these  conditions  he  could  not  remain 
near  —  " 

"  How  is  that,  and  he  too?" 

"  Yes,"  answered  she,  with  downcast  eyes. 

And  she  struggled  to  pretend  that  the  con- 
fession caused  her  pain ;  but  just  as  a  moment 
before,  after  the  words  of  De  Sinten,  there 
flew  across  her  mouth  a  smile  of  flattered 
self-love  and  feminine  vanity.  Svirski  took 
77 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

note  of  that  smile,  and  a  bitter,  angry  feeling 
straitened  his  heart. 

"  I  have  succumbed  to  the  epidemic,"  said 
he. 

She  looked  at  him  a  moment,  and  asked  in 
a  low  voice,  — 

"  Was  that  said  by  a  jealous  man  or  by  an 
ungrateful  one?  " 

"  You  are  right,"  answered  he,  evasively. 
"  If  that  be  the  position,  Kresovich  should 

go-" 

"  I  will  settle  with  him  to-day,  and  that  will 
be  the  end." 

They  ceased  talking;  nothing  was  heard 
save  the  shots  of  De  Sinten  and  the  Hun- 
garian. Svirski,  however,  could  not  forgive 
her  that  smile  which  he  had  caught  on  the 
wing.  He  said  to  himself,  it  is  true,  that  Pani 
Elzen  was  obliged  to  act  with  Kresovich  as 
she  had  acted,  that  there  was  nothing  over 
which  to  be  angry  —  still  he  felt  rising  vexa- 
tion in  his  soul.  On  a  time  at  the  beginning 
of  his  acquaintance  with  Pani  Elzen,  he  saw 
her  riding ;  she  was  some  yards  ahead ;  after 
78 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

her  hurried  De  Sinten,  young  Kladzki,  Prince 
Valerian,  Wilkis  Bey,  and  Waxford.  On 
Svirski  the  group  produced  the  fatal  im- 
pression, at  the  moment,  that  it  was  a  kind  of 
chase  after  a  woman.  At  present  the  picture 
stood  in  memory  before  him  so  vividly  and 
with  such  sharpness  that  his  artistic  nature 
suffered  really. 

"It  is  absolutely  true,"  said  he  to  himself, 
"  that  all  are  running  after  her,  and  if  I  had 
been  thrown  in  clearing  some  obstacle,  the 
next  man  behind  would  have  caught  her." 

But  further  meditation  was  stopped  by 
Pani  Elzen,  who  declared  that  she  was  grow- 
ing cold  in  the  shade,  and  wished  to  warm 
herself  a  trifle  in  the  sun. 

"  Let  us  go  to  your  rooms,  and  do  you  get 
a  wrap,"  said  Svirski,  rising. 

They  set  out  for  the  upper  terrace,  but  half- 
way on  the  steps  she  stopped  all  at  once  and 
said,  — 

"  You  are  dissatisfied  with  me.  In  what 
have  I  offended ;  have  I  not  done  what  was 
proper?" 

79 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Svirski,  whose  discontent  had  calmed  some- 
what on  the  way,  and  who  was  touched  by 
her  alarm,  said,  — 

"  Pardon  an  old  original ;  I  beg  you  to 
do  so." 

Pani  Elzen  wanted  absolutely  to  find  out 
what  had  made  him  gloomy,  but  in  no  way 
could  she  get  an  answer.  Then,  half  jesting, 
half  sad,  she  fell  to  complaining  of  artists. 
How  unendurable,  how  strange  they  are,  men 
whom  any  little  thing  offends,  any  little  thing 
pains;  they  shut  themselves  up  at  once  in 
themselves  and  then  run  to  their  lonely 
studios  !  To-day,  for  instance,  she  had  noted 
three  times,  she  said,  how  the  artist  was  in 
him.  That  was  bad  !  Let  this  wicked  artist 
as  punishment  stay  for  dinner,  then  stay  till 
evening. 

But  Svirski  declared  that  he  must  return 
to  his  studio ;   then  he  confided  to    her  his 
anxieties  of  an  artist,  his  trouble  in  finding  a 
model  for  "  Sleep  and  Death,"  and  finally  the 
hope  which  he  connected  with  that  picture. 
"  I  see  from  all  this,"  answered  the  young 
80 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

widow,  smiling,  "  that  I  shall  have  one  terrible, 
permanent  rival,  art." 

"  That  is  not  a  rival,"  answered  Svirski ; 
"  it  is  a  divinity  which  you  will  serve  in  my 
company." 

At  this  the  symmetrical  brows  of  the 
beautiful  lady  frowned  for  an  instant;  but 
meanwhile  they  reached  the  hotel.  That  day 
Svirski  became  convinced  that  Paradise  would 
open  to  him  only  by  marriage.  And  on  the 
train  he  was  thankful  to  Pani  Elzen  for  that 
conviction. 


81 


CHAPTER  IV 

ELZEN,  before  beginning  her  toilet 
for  dinner,  summoned  Kresovich  so  as  to 
pay  him.  She  summoned  him  with  a  certain 
curiosity  in  her  soul  as  to  what  their  parting 
would  be.  During  life  she  had  seen  so 
many  people  fashioned,  as  it  were,  by  a  single 
cutter  on  one  common  pattern,  that  this 
young  original  had  held  her  attention  for 
some  time;  and  now,  when  he  was  to  leave 
in  a  little  while,  and  take  a  broken  heart  with 
him,  he  occupied  her  still  more.  She  felt 
sure  that  his  passion  would  betray  itself  in 
some  way,  and  she  had  even  a  slightly  con- 
cealed wish  that  it  should  betray  itself,  promis- 
ing, not  altogether  sincerely,  that  she  would 
restrain  it  by  one  look  or  one  word,  should  it 
dream  of  surpassing  a  certain  measure. 

Kresovich,  however,  came  in  cool,  with  a 
face  rather  ominous  than  loving.     Pani  Elzen, 
82 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

when  she  looked  at  him,  thought  that  Svirski, 
as  an  artist,  could  not  help  noting  that  head, 
for  there  was  in  it  something  quite  excep- 
tional. Those  features  were  as  if  of  iron, — 
features  in  which  will  surpassed  intelligence, 
giving  them  an  expression  which  to  a  certain 
degree  was  dull,  but  also  implacable.  Svirski 
had  divined  long  before  that  Kresovich  was 
one  of  those  men  who,  once  seized  by  a  given 
idea,  have  a  faith  which  no  breath  of  doubt 
can  ever  dim.  Doubt  never  undermines  the 
capacity  for  action  in  men  like  him,  for  the 
reason  that  a  persistent  and  powerful  char- 
acter is  joined  to  a  certain  narrowness  of 
thought.  Fanaticism  flourishes  on  this  soil 
alone.  Pani  Elzen,  in  spite  of  her  society 
understanding,  was  too  frivolous  to  grasp 
this.  Kresovich  would  have  attracted  her 
attention  only  had  he  been  an  exceptionally 
handsome  fellow ;  but  since  he  was  not,  she 
met  the  man  the  first  time  she  saw  him  as  she 
would  a  thing;  and  it  was  only  Svirski's  un- 
conscious teaching  which  brought  her  to  turn 
attention  to  the  student.  At  present  she 
83 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

received  him  politely,  and,  after  paying  what 
she  owed,  in  a  voice  cold,  it  is  true,  and  in- 
different as  usual,  but  with  words  which  were 
very  polite,  expressed  sorrow  that  her  in- 
tended departure  from  Monte  Carlo,  soon  to 
take  place,  was  a  hindrance  to  further  re- 
lations between  them.  Kresovich,  putting 
the  money  into  his  pocket  mechanically, 
answered,  — 

"  I  informed  you  yesterday  that  I  could 
teach  Romulus  and  Remus  no  longer." 

"  It  is  just  that  which  pleases  me,"  an- 
swered she,  raising  her  head. 

Evidently  she  wished,  at  least  at  first,  to 
keep  the  conversation  in  a  ceremonial  tone, 
and  impose  that  tone  on  Kresovich.  But  it 
was  enough  to  look  at  him  to  see  that  he 
had  the  unbending  determination  to  say  all 
that  he  had  resolved  in  his  mind  to  say. 

"  You  have  paid  me  in  genuine  money," 
said  he;  "do  not  then  give  me  counterfeit 
coin  for  the  road." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  I  mean    this,"  said  he,  with   emphasis ; 
84 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  that  you  do  not  part  with  me  because  of 
your  journey,  nor  have  I  thanked  you  for 
the  service.  There  is  another  cause,  and 
what  that  is  you  know  as  well  as  I  do." 

"  If  I  know,  perhaps  I  do  not  wish  to  hear 
of  it,  nor  to  mention  it,"  answered  Pani 
Elzen,  haughtily. 

He  approached  one  step  toward  her,  put- 
ting his  hands  behind  him,  and  rearing  his 
head  almost  threateningly. 

"But  it  is  unavoidable,"  said  he:  "first, 
because  in  a  moment  I  shall  go  away,  and, 
second,  for  other  reasons  too,  of  which  you 
will  know  to-morrow." 

Pani  Elzen  rose  with  frowning  brow  and 
somewhat  with  the  theatrical  posture  of  an 
offended  queen. 

"  What  does  this  mean?  " 

He  drew  still  nearer,  so  that  his  mouth 
was  barely  a  few  inches  from  her  face,  and 
began  to  speak  with  concentrated  energy. 

"  This  means  that  I  ought  to  have  hated 
you  and  all  your  circle ;  but  I  have  fallen  in 
love  with  you.  This  means  that  for  your 
85 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

sake  I  have  degraded  myself  in  my  own  con- 
science ;  for  this  cause  I  shall  mete  out  my 
own  punishment  to  myself.  But  precisely 
for  this  reason  I  have  nothing  to  lose,  and 
you  must  pay  me  for  my  iniquity,  otherwise 
there  will  be  a  catastrophe  !  " 

Pani  Elzen  was  not  frightened,  for  in  gen- 
eral she  had  no  fear  of  men.  She  did  not 
fear  Kresovich's  consumption,  either,  since 
the  local  physician  had  quieted  her  perfectly 
on  that  point.  Her  astonishment  alone  was 
real;  anger  and  fear  were  merely  apparent. 
Amazement  sprang  up  in  her  heart  at  once, 
"  But  he  is  a  bird  of  prey,  ready  to  tear  me 
to  pieces."  For  her  nature,  wrapped  up  as 
it  was  in  corruption  and  fond  of  novelty, 
every  adventure,  especially  when  it  flattered 
her  female  vanity,  had  an  unspeakable  charm. 
For  this  cause  her  moral  sense  was  astonished 
at  nothing.  If  Kresovich  had  implored  her 
for  one  moment  of  delight,  for  the  right  to 
kiss  the  hem  of  her  garment  with  humility, 
and  on  his  knees,  she  would  have  given  com- 
mand to  throw  him  out  of  doors.  But  this 
86 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

man,  terrible,  almost  wild,  this  representative 
of  a  sect  of  whose  tremendous  energy  fabu- 
lous tales  were  related  in  her  social  circle, 
seemed  demonic,  so  different  from  all  men 
whom  she  had  seen  up  to  that  time,  that  she 
was  seized  with  ecstasy.  Her  nerves  were 
greedy  of  novelty.  She  thought,  too,  that  in 
case  of  resistance  the  adventure  might  take 
on  proportions  altogether  unforeseen,  and 
turn  into  a  scandal;  for  that  lunatic  was 
really  ready  for  anything. 

But  Kresovich  continued,  covering  her  face 
with  his  burning  breath,  — 

"  I  love,  and  I  have  nothing  to  lose.  I 
have  lost  health,  I  have  destroyed  my  future, 
and  have  demeaned  myself!  — I  have  nothing 
to  lose!  Do  you  understand?  To  me  it  is 
all  one  whether  at  your  call  ten  men  run  in 
here  or  a  hundred ;  for  you  it  is  not  all  one ! 
Afterward  I  shall  go ;  and  the  secret  will  be 
lost  —  I  swear !  " 

Pani  Elzen  cared  only  for  preserving  ap- 
pearances, which  the  hypocritical  woman  al- 
ways tries  to  preserve  and  to  deceive  herself. 
87 


On  the  Bright   Shore 

Turning  her  eyes,  filled  with  feigned  terror, 
to  his  face,  which  was  really  like  the  face  of 
a  madman,  she  asked,  — 

"  Do  you  want  to  kill  me?  " 

"  I  want  pay  —  not  in  money  !  "  answered 
he,  in  a  stifled  voice.  Then  growing  paler 
yet,  he  seized  her  in  his  arms ;  and  she  began 
to  defend  herself.  But  she  did  so  like  a 
fainting  woman  whom  terror  deprives  of 
strength  and  consciousness. 


88 


CHAPTER  V 

SVIRSKI,  on  arriving  at  Villa  Franca,  got 
out  and  went  to  the  harbor ;  for  it  oc- 
curred to  him  that  he  might  return  to  Nice 
by  boat.  He  found,  just  at  the  edge  of  the 
harbor,  a  fisherman,  an  old  acquaintance, 
who,  pleased  at  the  sight  of  a  liberal  cus- 
tomer, undertook  with  usual  Ligurian  boast- 
fulness  to  take  him  "  even  to  Corsica  though 
the  Sirocco  were  to  turn  the  sea  bottom 
upward." 

But  the  question  was  only  of  a  short  trip, 
all  the  easier  because  there  was  not  the 
slightest  breeze.  Svirski  took  his  place  at 
the  stern,  and  they  moved  over  the  smooth 
sea.  After  a  time,  when  they  had  passed  the 
luxurious  private  yachts,  they  approached 
ironclads,  whose  calm,  black  immensities 
were  outlined  firmly  and  distinctly  in  the 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

afternoon  sunlight.  The  deck  of  the  "  For- 
midable "  was  garlanded  already  with  lamps  of 
various  colors,  for  the  ball  of  the  following 
evening,  to  which  Svirski  was  to  receive  an 
invitation.  At  the  bulwarks  were  sailors,  who, 
seen  from  below,  looked  like  pygmies  when 
compared  with  the  ship.  The  iron  walls  of 
the  vessel,  the  smoke-stacks,  the  masts,  the 
rigging*  were  reflected  in  the  transparent 
water  as  in  a  mirror.  From  time  to  time 
among  the  ironclads  pushed  a  boat,  which 
from  a  distance  seemed  a  black  beetle,  mov- 
ing its  row  of  legs  symmetrically.  Beyond 
the  vessels  began  empty  space,  in  which  the 
sea  surface,  as  is  usual  when  anything  leaves 
the  harbor,  rose  and  fell,  though  there  was 
no  wind,  now  raising,  now  letting  down  Svir- 
ski's  boat,  with  a  movement  at  once  broad 
and  agreeable.  Soon  they  were  approaching 
lofty  cliffs,  on  the  right  side  of  the  harbor, 
along  which  extended  a  gray,  dusty  road ; 
lower  down  was  a  parade-ground,  where 
soldiers  were  practising  on  trumpets.  At 
last,  when  they  had  turned  the  promontory, 
90 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

against  which  waves  were  rolling,  they  sailed 
into  deep  water. 

Beyond  the  harbor  there  is  always  some 
breeze,  therefore  the  fisherman  hoisted  his 
sails.  Svirski,  instead  of  steering  toward 
Nice,  turned  to  the  open  sea. 

They  went  straight  ahead,  rocked  by  the 
swell.  The  sun  was  lowering  toward  evening. 
The  rocky  cliffs  and  the  sea  had  grown 
purple;  everything  round  about  was  calm, 
-quiet,  and  so  immense  that,  in  spite  of  him- 
self, Svirski  thought  how  contemptible  and 
petty  life  was  in  view  of  those  elements 
which  surrounded  him  at  that  moment. 
Suddenly  he  felt  as  if  his  own  affairs,  and 
those  of  other  men,  had  gone  somewhere  very 
far  off.  Pani  Elzen,  Romulus,  Remus,  and  all 
his  acquaintances  along  the  shore,  all  that 
swarm  of  people  filled  with  fever,  unrest, 
paltry  ambitions,  and  wretched  desires,  were 
belittled  in  his  eyes.  As  a  man  accustomed 
to  analyze  what  happens  within  him,  he  was 
frightened  at  that  impression;  for  he  con- 
sidered that  if  he  loved  Pani  Elzen  really, 
91 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

her  portrait  would  not  be  covered  by  any- 
thing, would  not  be  dimmed,  would  not 
be  decreased,  would  not  disappear.  Such 
had  been  the  case  with  him  formerly.  Svir- 
ski  remembered  that  when  a  woman  whom 
he  loved  got  married,  he  went  on  a  journey. 
At  that  time  he  learned  first  to  know  Italy, 
Rome,  Sicily,  and  the  sea,  and  the  coast  of 
Africa;  and  no  impression  dimmed  in  his 
mind  the  memory  of  the  beloved  woman. 
In  the  galleries  of  Florence  and  Rome,  on 
the  sea  and  in  the  desert,  she  was  with  him; 
through  her  he  received  every  impression, 
and  everywhere  he  said  to  her,  as  if  present, 
"  Look  at  this  ! "  The  difference  between 
those  distant  years  and  to-day  filled  him  with 
sadness. 

But  the  calm  of  the  sea  acted  on  him  in  a 
manner  that  was  healing.  They  had  sailed 
out  so  far  that  the  shores  began  to  be  con- 
cealed. Then  the  sun  went  down;  one  star 
twinkled,  and  then  another.  The  dolphins, 
which  in  the  evening  twilight  passed  before 
the  boat  with  the  motion  of  waves,  disturb- 
92 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

ing  the  calm  surface  with  their  sharp  backs, 
sank  in  the  depth,  and  from  no  point  came 
an  echo.  The  surface  of  the  water  had 
grown  so  smooth  that  at  moments  the  sails 
became  limp.  Finally,  the  moon  rose  from 
beyond  the  mountains,  pouring  a  greenish 
light  over  the  sea  and  illuminating  it  far  off 
to  the  limit  of  the  horizon. 

A  southern  night  began,  as  mild  as  it  was 
silent.  Svirski  sheltered  himself  in  the  coat 
lent  him  by  the  fisherman,  and  meditated  : 
"  All  that  surrounds  me  is  not  only  beauty, 
but  truth  as  well.  The  life  of  man,  if  it  is 
to  be  normal,  should  be  ingrafted  on  the 
trunk  of  nature,  grow  out  of  it,  as  a  branch 
grows  out  of  a  tree,  and  exist  in  virtue  of 
those  same  laws.  Then  it  will  be  truthful  and 
besides  moral,  for  morality  is  at  bottom 
nothing  else  than  the  agreement  of  life  with 
the  universal  law  of  nature.  For  instance, 
simplicity  and  calm  surrounds  me;  I  under- 
stand this,  and  I  feel  it  is  as  an  artist ;  but  I 
have  n't  it  in  myself  as  a  man,  for  my  life, 
and  the  life  of  these  people  among  whom  I 
93 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

live,  has  departed  from  nature,  it  has  ceased 
to  fit  itself  to  that  law,  to  be  its  result, 
and  has  made  itself  a  lie.  Everything  in 
us  is  artificial,  even  the  feeling  of  natural 
laws  has  perished  in  us.  Our  relations  are 
founded  on  falsehood.  Our  senses  are 
crooked ;  our  souls  and  our  impulses  sick. 
We  deceive  one  another  and  even  ourselves, 
till  at  last  no  man  is  sure  that  he  wishes  really 
that  toward  which  he  is  striving,  or  that  he 
will  strive  toward  that  which  he  wishes." 

And  there,  in  presence  of  that  night,  of 
that  infinity  of  the  sea,  of  the  stars,  of  all 
nature,  of  its  calmness,  its  simplicity,  its 
immensity,  he  was  seized  by  a  feeling  of 
the  gigantic  falsehood  of  the  relations  be- 
tween men.  False  seemed  to  him  his  love 
for  Pani  Elzen;  false  her  relation  to  him, 
to  her  children,  to  other  men,  to  society; 
false  the  life  on  that  bright  shore;  false 
their  present  and  false  their  future.  "  I  am 
encircled,  as  if  by  a  net,"  thought  he ;  "  and 
I  know  not  how  to  tear  myself  out  of  it." 
And  indeed  that  was  true.  For  if  all  life  is 
94 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

a  falsehood,  what  is  to  be  done  in  face  of 
that  fact?  Return  to  nature?  Begin  some 
sort  of  life  half  savage,  half  peasant?  Break 
with  people  and  become  a  reformer  right 
away  ?  Svirski  felt  too  old  for  this,  and  too 
sceptical.  For  such  a  course  one  needs  to 
have  the  dogmatism  of  Kresovich,  and  to 
feel  evil  as  a  spur  to  battle  and  reform,  not 
as  a  mere  impression  which  may  grow  faint 
to-morrow !  But  another  thought  came  to 
Svirski's  mind  as  a  recompense.  The  man 
who  does  not  feel  in  himself  power  to  reform 
the  world,  may  flee  from  it,  for  a  time,  at 
least,  and  draw  breath.  For  instance,  he 
could  go  to  Marseilles  the  next  day,  and  a 
couple  of  days  later  somewhere  else,  out  on 
the  open  ocean,  hundreds  of  miles  from  the 
shore,  from  sickly  life,  from  lies  and  decep- 
tions. In  this  way  all  would  be  settled 
immediately,  or  rather  cut  off  as  if  with  a 
knife. 

And  in  one  moment  he  was  seized  by  such 
a  desire  to  turn  that  idea  into  action  that  he 
gave  command  to  return  to  Nice. 
95 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  The  wild  beast,  which  feels  itself  in  a 
net,"  thought  he,  "  tries  first  of  all  to  get  out. 
That  is  its  first  right — and  just  that  is  in 
accord  with  nature,  hence  it  is  moral.  The 
net  around  me  is  not  Pani  Elzen  alone,  but 
all  things  taken  together.  I  feel  perfectly 
that  in  marrying  her  I  shall  marry  a  life  of 
lies.  That  might  happen  even  without  her 
fault,  and  through  the  necessity  of  things  — 
from  such  a  complication  one  is  always  free 
to  escape." 

And  now  he  pictured  other  scenes  to  him- 
self, —  scenes  which  he  might  see  in  his 
flight:  broad  deserts  with  water  and  with 
sand,  unknown  lands  and  people,  the  sin- 
cerity and  truth  of  their  primitive  life,  and 
finally  the  variety  of  events,  and  all  the  differ- 
ence between  days  to  come  and  the  present. 

"  I  ought  to  have  done  this  long  since," 
said  he  to  himself. 

Then   a  thought  entered   his  mind  which 

could  come  only  to  an  artist,  that  if  he  should 

leave    his    betrothed    suddenly   and    go    to 

Paris,  for  example,  the  act  would  belong  to 

96 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  vile  literature ; "  but  should  he  shoot  off 
beyond  the  equator,  to  the  land  where  pepper 
grows,  the  fact  of  leaving  her  would  be 
diminished  in  view  of  the  distance,  the  affair 
would  make  another  impression,  would  appear 
more  original,  and,  for  that  very  reason,  in 
better  taste. 

"  But  I,"  thought  he,  "  will  go  devilish  far !  " 

Meanwhile  from  a  distance  Nice  rose  be- 
fore him  in  the  form  of  a  bundle  of  lights. 
In  the  middle  of  that  bundle  was  the  building 
called  "Jetee  Promenade,"  which  gleamed  in 
the  form  of  a  gigantic  lighthouse.  As  the 
boat,  urged  by  a  strong  breeze,  approached 
the  harbor,  every  one  of  those  lights  changed, 
as  it  were,  into  a  pillar  of  fire,  which  quivered 
on  the  moving  water  near  the  shore.  The 
sight  of  these  gleams  sobered  Svirski. 

"  The  city  !  —  and  life  !  "  thought  he. 

And  at  once  his  former  plans  began  to  fall 
apart  like  dream-visions  born  of  night  and 
emptiness.  That  which  a  moment  earlier  he 
thought  justifiable,  necessary,  and  easy  of 
accomplishment,  seemed  a  whim  devoid  of 
7  97 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

the  essence  of  reality,  and  in  part  dishonest. 
"  With  life,  whatever  it  be,  one  must  reckon. 
Whoso  has  lived  under  its  laws  the  years 
that  I  have,  must  feel  responsible  to  it.  It 
is  no  great  thing  to  say  to  one's  self:  I  used 
them  as  long  as  they  were  pleasant,  but  the 
moment  they  were  painful  I  went  back  to 
nature." 

Then  he  fell  to  thinking  more  connectedly, 
not  of  general  theories,  but  of  Pani  Elzen. 

"  By  what  right  could  I  leave  her?  If  her 
life  has  been  artificial  and  false,  if  her  past  is 
not  clear,  I,  who  knew  that,  might  have  re- 
frained from  proposing.  At  present  I  could 
have  the  right  to  break  with  her  only  in  case 
I  discovered  in  her  evil  which  she  concealed, 
or  if  she  committed  some  fault  touching  me. 
But  she  has  committed  no  fault  of  that  sort. 
She  has  been  honest  and  sincere  with  me. 
Besides,  there  is  something  in  her  which 
attracts  me;  if  not,  I  should  not  have  pro- 
posed. At  moments  I  feel  that  I  love  her; 
and  because  doubt  comes  at  times  on  me, 
must  she  be  the  sufferer?  My  flight  would  in 
98 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

every  case  be  an  injustice  to  the  woman,  and 
who  knows  that  it  would  not  be  a  blow?" 

He  understood  now,  that  to  think  of  flight 
and  permit  it  are,  for  a  decent  man,  two 
opposite  poles.  He  could  only  think  of  it. 
He  could  appear  before  the  eyes  of  Pani 
Elzen  more  easily,  and  ask  her  to  return  his 
word  to  him ;  but  to  flee  from  danger  was  a 
thing  directly  opposed  to  his  personal  nature 
and  the  character  of  his  stock,  which  was 
thoroughly  civilized.  Besides,  at  the  very 
thought  of  doing  injustice  to  a  woman,  the 
heart  quivered  in  him  ;  and  Pani  Elzen  grew 
nearer  and  dearer  to  him. 

They  had  sailed  almost  into  the  harbor  ; 
and  a  moment  later  the  boat  arrived.  Svirski 
paid,  and,  taking  a  seat  in  a  carriage,  gave 
directions  to  drive  to  his  studio.  On  the 
street,  amid  the  glare  of  lamps,  the  noise  and 
the  movement,  he  was  carried  away  again  by 
a  yearning  for  that  quiet,  that  endless  spread 
of  water,  that  calmness,  that  boundless  truth 
of  God,  from  which  he  had  parted  a  moment 
before.  At  last,  when  he  was  near  the  studio, 
99 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

the  following  idea  came  to  his  head :  "  It  is  a 
marvellous  thing  that  I,  who  feared  women 
so  much,  and  was  so  distrustful  of  them,  have 
in  the  end  of  ends  chosen  one  capable  of 
rousing  more  fear  than  all  the  others." 

There  was  in  that  a  certain  fatality,  as  it 
were;  and  Svirski  would  have  found  beyond 
doubt  in  that  concourse  of  things  material 
for  meditation  during  a  whole  evening,  had 
it  not  been  that  as  he  entered  the  servant 
gave  him  two  letters.  In  one  was  an  invita- 
tion to  the  ball  of  the  following  day  on  board 
the  "  Formidable ;  "  the  other  was  from  Pani 
Lageat,  the  owner  of  the  house. 

She  informed  him  of  her  departure  in  a 
couple  of  days  for  Marseilles,  and  at  the 
same  time  told  him  that  she  had  found  a 
model  who  ought  to  satisfy  his  most  extrava- 
gant taste,  and  who  would  come  the  next 
morning. 


100 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  promised  miracle  came  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning  at  nine.  Svirski  was 
dressed  and  waiting  with  impatience  and 
nervousness  ;  happily  his  fears  proved  un- 
founded. The  first  glance  satisfied  him.  The 
model  was  tall,  slender,  very  graceful;  she 
had  a  small  head,  a  delicate  face,  a  beautiful 
structure  of  forehead,  long  eyelashes,  and 
great  freshness  of  complexion.  But,  beyond 
all,  Svirski  was  charmed  by  this,  that  she  had 
"  her  own  "  style  of  face,  and  in  her  expres- 
sion there  was  something  girl-like.  "  She 
has  noble  movements,"  thought  he;  "  and  if 
she  is  formed  as  she  seems,  then  '  Eureka !  ' 
I  will  engage  her  for  a  long  time,  and  take 
her  with  me." 

He  was  struck  also  by  her  timidity  and  a 
look,   as  it  were,  of  fright.     He  knew,   it  is 
101 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

true,  that  models  sometimes  feign  timidity. 
He  admitted,  however,  that  this  one  did 
not 

"  What  is  thy  name,  my  child  ?  "  asked  he. 

"  Maria  Cervi." 

"Art  thou  from  Nice?" 

"  From  Nice." 

"  Hast  ever  been  a  model?  " 

"  No,  sir." 

"  Trained  models  know  what  is  needed ; 
with  new  ones  there  is  trouble.  Thou  hast 
never  been  a  model  in  thy  life?" 

"  No,  sir." 

"  How  didst  thou  get  the  wish  to  be  a 
model?  " 

She  hesitated,  and  blushed  somewhat. 

"  Pani  Lageat  told  me  that  I  should  be 
able  to  earn  something." 

"True,  but  evidently  thou  art  afraid.  What 
dost  thou  fear  ?  I  will  not  eat  thee  !  How 
much  dost  thou  ask  for  a  sitting?" 

"  Pani  Lageat  told  me  that  you  would  pay 
five  francs." 

"  Pani  Lageat  was  mistaken.     I  pay  ten." 
1 02 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Joy  gleamed  in  the  girl's  face,  and  her 
cheeks  grew  still  redder. 

"  When  must  I  begin  ?  "  asked  she,  with  a 
somewhat  trembling  voice. 

"To-day,  immediately,"  answered  Svirski, 
pointing  to  the  picture  already  begun.  "  There 
is  the  screen ;  go  behind,  undress  to  the  waist 
only.  Thou  wilt  sit  for  the  head,  the  bosom, 
and  a  part  of  the  stomach." 

She  turned  to  him  an  astonished  face;  her 
hands  dropped  slowly  along  her  dress. 

"How  is  that,  sir?"  asked  she,  looking  at 
him  with  terrified  eyes. 

"  My  child,"  answered  the  artist,  a  little 
impatiently,  "  I  understand  that  it  may  be 
difficult  the  first  time.  But  either  thou  art  a 
model,  or  thou  art  not.  I  need  the  head,  the 
bosom,  and  a  part  of  the  stomach;  I  need 
these  absolutely;  dost  thou  understand?  And 
be  sure,  at  the  same  time,  that  there  is  noth- 
ing bad  in  me;  but,  first  of  all,  think  it  over 
—  and  quickly ;  for,  if  thou  art  not  willing,  I 
shall  look  for  another." 

He  spoke  as  a  man  somewhat  vexed ;  for 
103 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

in  his  mind  the  point  was  that  just  she  should 
be  the  model,  and  that  he  should 'not  have  to 
look  for  another.  Meanwhile  silence  came. 
The  model  grew  pale  very  evidently ;  still, 
after  a  while,  she  went  behind  the  screen. 

Svirski  fell  to  pushing  the  easel  toward  the 
window,  with  a  noise,  thinking  meanwhile,  — 

"  She  will  gain  the  habit,  and  in  a  week 
will  laugh  at  her  scruples." 

Next,  he  arranged  the  sofa  on  which  the 
model  was  to  lie,  took  his  brush,  and  began 
to  grow  impatient. 

"  Well,  how  is  it?     Art  thou  ready?  " 

Silence. 

"  Well,  make  up  thy  mind.  What  jokes 
are  these?" 

Just  then  from  behind  the  screen  came  a 
trembling,  imploring  voice,  with  the  prayer,  — 

"I  have  thought  it  over,  sir.  In  our  house 
there  is  poverty ;  but  still  —  I  —  cannot !  If 
you  would  be  kind  and  take  the  head  —  for 
three  francs,  or  even  for  two  —  if  you  would 
have  the  kindness." 

And    these    words     came    with    sobbing. 
104 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Svirski  turned  toward  the  screen,  dropped 
his  brush,  and  opened  his  mouth.  Unparal- 
leled astonishment  seized  him,  for  the  model 
was  speaking  in  his  own  native  tongue. 

"Is  the  lady  a  Pole?"  asked  he  at  last, 
forgetting  that  a  moment  before  he  had  said 
tJiou  to  her. 

"  Yes,  sir.  That  is,  my  father  was  an 
Italian,  but  my  grandfather  is  a  Pole." 

A  moment  of  silence  ensued.  Svirski  re- 
covered, and  said,  — 

"  Arrange  your  dress ;  I  will  take  only 
your  head." 

But  evidently  she  had  not  begun  to  undress, 
for  she  came  from  behind  the  screen  at  once, 
confused,  full  of  fear  yet,  and  with  traces  of 
tears  on  her  cheeks. 

"  I  thank  you,"  said  she.  "  You  are  —  I 
beg  your  pardon;  but  — 

"  Be  at  rest,"  said  Svirski.  "  Here  is  the 
chair ;  have  no  fear.  You  will  pose  for  your 
head ;  I  had  no  wish  to  offend  you.  You 
see  that  picture.  I  wanted  a  model  for  this 
figure  here.  But  since  it  is  so  painful  to  you, 
I05 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

the  question  is  changed,  especially  as  you  are 
a  Pole." 

Tears  began  to  flow  over  her  cheeks  again ; 
but  she  looked  at  him  through  her  blue  eyes 
with  gratitude;  he  found  a  bottle  of  wine, 
poured  out  half  a  glass,  and,  giving  it  to  her, 
said,  — 

"  Drink  this.  I  have  biscuits  here  some- 
where, but  deuce  knows  where  they  are.  I 
ask  you  to  drink.  There,  it  is  all  right.  Your 
hand  trembles ;  but  there  is  no  danger  here  — 
I  beg  you  to  be  calm." 

And  saying  this,  he  looked  at  her  with  the 
sympathy  of  his  honest  eyes,  and  said  after  a 
while,  — 

"  Poor  child  !  " 

Then  he  stepped  aside,  and  put  the  easel 
in  its  old  place,  saying  while  he  did  so,  — 

"  There  is  no  posing  to-day.  You  are  too 
much  excited.  To-morrow  we  will  begin 
work  early ;  to-day  we  will  talk  a  little.  Who 
could  guess  that  Maria  Cervi  was  a  Pole ! 
Your  grandfather  is  a  Pole,  then,  is  he  not  ? 
Is  he  alive?  " 

1 06 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  Yes ;  but  he  has  not  walked  for  the  last 
two  years." 

"What  is  his  name?" 

"  Orysevich,"  answered  she,  speaking  some- 
what with  a  foreign  accent. 

"  I  know  that  name.  Has  he  been  long  in 
this  country?  " 

"  Grandfather  has  been  sixty-five  years  out 
of  Poland.  First,  he  was  in  the  Italian  army, 
and  then  in  the  bank  of  Nice." 

"  How  old  is  he  ? " 

"  Nearly  ninety." 

"Your  father's  name  was  Cervi?" 

"  Yes.  My  father  was  from  Nice ;  but  he 
served  also  in  the  Italian  army." 

"  Then  he  is  dead?  " 

"  Five  years." 

"And  your  mother  is  alive?" 

"  She  is.     We  live  together  in  Old  Nice." 

"  Very  well.  But  now  one  more  question. 
Does  your  mother  know  that  you  want  to 
become  a  model?" 

To  this  the  girl  answered  in  a  hesitating 
voice :  "  No,  mamma  does  not  know.  Pani 
107 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Lageat  told  me  that  in  this  way  I  could  earn 
five  francs  a  day;  and  as  there  is  poverty  in 
our  house,  —  very  great  poverty,  —  I  had  no 
other  way." 

Svirski  took  in  the  girl  from  head  to  foot 
with  quick  glance,  and  understood  that  he 
was  listening  to  truth.  Everything  testified 
to  poverty,  —  her  hat,  her  dress,  which  was 
so  worn,  or  rather  consumed  by  age,  that 
every  thread  in  it  was  visible,  her  gloves 
darned  and  faded. 

"Go  home  now,"  said  he,  "and  tell  your 
mother  that  there  is  an  artist  named  Svirski 
who  wishes  you  to  sit  to  him  as  a  model  for 
the  head.  Say  also  that  this  artist  will 
come,  at  recommendation  of  Pani  Lageat,  to 
ask  you  to  sit  with  your  mother  in  his  studio, 
for  which  he  offers  you  ten  francs  a  day." 

Panna  Cervi  began  to  thank  him,  without 
knowing  how  to  find  speech,  weeping  and 
confusing  her  words,  with  a  voice  full  both 
of  tears  and  delight.  He  saw  what  was  hap- 
pening within  her,  and  said,  — 

"Very  well.     I   shall    come  in  an   hour. 
1 08 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

You  seem  to  me  a  very  honest  girl.  Have 
confidence  in  me.  I  am  something  of  a 
bear,  but  I  understand  more  things  than  one. 
We  shall  arrange  this  affair,  and  the  trouble 
will  pass.  Ah !  yes,  one  point  more.  I  do 
not  wish  to  give  you  money  at  once,  for  you 
would  have  to  explain  the  matter ;  but  in  an 
hour  I  will  bring  all  that  is  needed  on 
account.  I  too  had  troubles  formerly,  and 
know  what  prompt  aid  means.  You  have 
nothing  to  give  thanks  for,  a  trifle!  Till  we 
meet  again  —  in  an  hour." 

So,  after  he  had  asked  again  for  her 
address,  he  conducted  the  girl  to  the  steps; 
and  when  an  hour  had  passed,  he  took  his 
seat  in  a  carriage  and  gave  directions  to  drive 
to  Old  Nice. 

All  that  had  happened  seemed  to  him  so 
peculiar  that  he  could  think  of  nothing  else. 
He  felt  too  the  delight  which  every  honest 
man  feels  when  he  has  acted  as  he  ought, 
and  when  he  may  become  a  providence  to 
some  person. 

"If  that  is  not  an  honest  and  a  good  girl," 
109 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

thought  he  of  Panna  Cervi,  "  I  am  the  dullest 
mule  in  Liguria. " 

But  he  did  not  admit  that  anything  similar 
could  happen.  On  the  contrary,  he  felt  that 
he  had  struck  a  very  honest  woman's  soul, 
and  at  the  same  time  he  was  delighted  that 
that  soul  was  enclosed  in  such  a  young  and 
beautiful  body. 

The  carriage  stopped  at  last  in  front  of 
an  old  and  battered  house  near  the  harbor. 
The  woman  at  the  gate  pointed  contemptu- 
ously enough  to  Pani  Cervi's  apartments. 

"Poverty  indeed!"  thought  the  artist,  as 
he  went  up  the  sloping  steps.  After  a  while 
he  knocked  at  the  door. 

"  Come  in !  "  answered  a  voice. 

Svirski  entered.  A  woman  about  forty 
years  of  age  received  him;  she  was  dressed 
in  black;  a  brunette,  sad,  thin,  evidently 
broken  by  life :  but  she  had  nothing  common 
about  her.  At  her  side  stood  Panna  Maria. 

"  I  know  all,  and  I  thank  you   from    my 
soul   and   heart ! "    said    Pani    Cervi ;    "  may 
God  reward  and  bless  you." 
no 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Thus  speaking,  she  caught  his  hand  and 
bent  her  head  as  if  to  kiss  it ;  but  he  with- 
drew the  hand  quickly;  anxious  to  drive 
away  ceremony  at  the  earliest,  and  break  the 
ice  of  first  acquaintance,  he  turned  to  Panna 
Maria,  and,  shaking  his  finger  at  her,  said, 
with  the  freedom  of  an  old  acquaintance,  - 

"Ah,  this  little  girl  has  let  out  the 
secret ! " 

Panna  Maria  smiled  at  him  in  answer, 
a  little  sadly,  a  little  perplexed.  She  seemed 
to  him  fair,  more  beautiful  than  in  the 
studio.  He  noticed  also  that  she  had  around 
her  neck  a  narrow,  lily-colored  ribbon  which 
she  had  not  worn  before;  and  this  touched 
him  still  more  as  a  proof  that  evidently  she 
did  not  consider  him  an  old  grandfather, 
since  she  had  dressed  for  him.  Then  Pani 
Cervi  said,  — 

"Yes,  Maria  told  everything.  God  watched 
over  her  and  over  us,  so  that  she  met  such  a 
man  as  you." 

"Panna  Maria  told  me  of  the  difficult  cir- 
cumstances in  which  you  are  living,"  an- 
iii 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

swered  Svirski;  "but,  believe  me,  that  even 
in  those  circumstances  it  is  happiness  to 
have  such  a  daughter." 

"Yes,"  said  Pani  Cervi,  calmly. 

"Meanwhile  I  owe  gratitude  to  you;  for  I 
was  looking,  and  looking  in  vain,  till  at  last 
a  head  fell  from  heaven  to  me.  Now  I  am 
sure  of  my  picture.  I  must  only  make  sure 
that  my  model  does  not  run  away !  " 

Meanwhile  he  drew  out  three  hundred 
francs  and  forced  Pani  Cervi  to  take  them, 
assuring  her  that  he  would  make  a  great 
profit,  for  he  would  receive  much  money, 
thanks  to  Panna  Maria;  and  then  he  declared 
that  he  would  like  to  make  the  acquaintance 
of  the  "grandfather,"  for  he  had  always  had 
a  weakness  for  old  soldiers. 

Hearing  this,  Panna  Maria  ran  to  the 
adjoining  chamber;  soon  the  noise  of  a 
wheeled  chair  was  heard,  and  the  grand- 
father was  rolled  into  the  room.  Evidently 
the  old  man  had  been  prepared  to  receive  the 
guest,  for  he  was  in  uniform,  with  all  his 
orders  acquired  in  Italy.  Svirski  saw  before 
112 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

him  an  old  man  whose  face  had  grown  small 
and  wrinkled ;  his  moustaches  and  hair  were 
white  as  milk;  his  blue  eyes  opened  widely, 
and  looked  something  like  the  eyes  of  an 
infant. 

"Grandfather,"  said  Maria,  bending  over 
him  in  such  fashion  that  the  old  man  could 
see  her  lips,  and  speaking  not  in  a  loud 
voice,  but  slowly  and  precisely,  "  this  is  Pan 
Svirski,  a  fellow-countryman  and  an  artist." 

The  old  man  turned  his  blue  eyes  toward 
the  visitor,  and  looked  at  him  persistently, 
meanwhile  blinking  as  if  summoning  his 
mind. 

"  A  fellow-countryman  ?  "  repeated  he. 
"  Yes !  —  a  fellow-countryman. " 

Then  he  smiled,  looked  at  his  daughter, 
his  granddaughter,  and  again  at  Svirski; 
he  sought  words  for  a  time,  and  asked  at 
last,  with  an  aged,  trembling  voice,  — 

"And  what  will  there  be  in  spring? " 

Evidently  there  remained  to  him  some 
single  thought,  which  had  outlived  all  the 
others,  but  which  he  had  not  been  able  to 
8  113 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

express.  So,  after  a  while,  he  leaned  his 
trembling  head  against  the  back  of  the  chair, 
and  began  to  look  at  the  window,  smiling, 
however,  at  that  thought,  and  repeating,  — 

"Yes,  yes!     It  will  be!" 

"Grandfather  always  acts  that  way,"  said 
Maria. 

Svirski  looked  at  him  for  a  time  with 
emotion;  then  Pani  Cervi  began  to  speak 
of  her  father  and  her  husband.  Both  had 
taken  part  in  the  wars  against  Austria  for 
Italian  independence.  They  had  lived  some 
time  in  Florence;  and  only  after  the  occu- 
pation of  Rome  did  they  return  to  Nice, 
where  Cervi's  family  originated.  There 
Orysevich  gave  his  daughter  to  his  young 
comrade  in  arms.  Both  men  found  places  in 
the  bank,  thanks  to  relatives  in  Nice.  All 
succeeded  well  till  Cervi  was  killed  in  a 
railroad  accident,  a  few  years  before,  and 
Orysevich  lost  his  place  through  old  age. 
From  that  time  their  trouble  began,  for  the 
only  capital  which  the  three  persons  had  to 
support  them  was  sixty  lires,  which  the 
114 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Italian  government  gave  the  old  man.  That 
was  enough  to  keep  them  from  dying,  but 
not  enough  to  give  them  life.  The  two 
women  earned  a  little  by  sewing  or  teach- 
ing; but  during  summer,  when  life  died 
away  in  Nice,  when  it  was  impossible  to 
earn  anything,  their  slender  supplies  were 
swallowed  up.  Two  years  before  the  old 
soldier  had  lost  the  use  of  his  legs  altogether; 
he  was  frequently  sick,  and  had  to  be  cared 
for;  through  this  their  condition  grew  worse 
and  worse. 

Svirski,  while  listening  to  this  narrative, 
made  note  of  two  things:  First,  that  Pani 
Cervi  did  not  speak  as  good  Polish  as  her 
daughter.  Evidently  the  old 'man,  in  the 
years  of  his  campaigning,  could  not  devote 
himself  to  the  education  of  his  daughter  in 
the  same  degree  as  he  had  afterward  to  the 
education  of  his  granddaughter.  But  the 
second  thing  was  more  important  for  Svirski. 
"This  granddaughter,"  thought  he,  "being 
such  a  beautiful  girl,  might,  especially  in 
Nice,  on  that  shore  where  idlers  squander 
"5 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

millions  every  year,  keep  carriages,  ser- 
vants, and  have  a  drawing-room  finished  in 
satin.  But  she  wears  a  threadbare  dress, 
and  her  only  ornament  is  a  faded  lily-colored 
ribbon.  There  must  be  some  strength  which 
has  kept  her  from  evil.  For  this,"  said  he 
to  himself,  "two  things  are  requisite,  —  pure 
nature  and  honorable  traditions ;  there  is  no 
doubt  that  I  have  found  both." 

And  he  began  to  have  a  pleasant  feeling 
among  those  people.  He  noticed  also  that 
poverty  had  not  destroyed  in  the  two  women 
traces  of  good-breeding,  a  certain  elegance 
which  comes  from  within  and  seems  inborn. 
Both  mother  and  daughter  had  received  him 
as  a  providence;  but  in  their  words  and 
manners  one  could  notice  more  delight  at 
making  the  acquaintance  of  an  honest  man, 
than  at  the  aid  which  he  brought  them.  It 
might  be  that  the  three  hundred  francs 
which  he  left  with  the  mother  saved  the 
family  from  many  cares  and  humiliations, 
but  still  he  felt  that  mother  and  daughter 
were  more  thankful  to  him  because  he  had 
116 


On   the  Bright  Shore 

acted  in  the  studio  like  a  man  of  true  and 
tender  heart,  who  understood  the  girl's  pain, 
her  modesty,  and  sacrifice.  But  to  him  the 
greatest  pleasure  came  from  noting  that  in 
Panna  Maria's  timidity,  and  in  her  charming 
glances,  there  was  an  anxiety  which  a  young 
girl  might  experience  before  a  man  to  whom 
she  feels  obliged  with  her  whole  soul,  but 
who  at  the  same  time,  according  to  Svirski's 
expression,  "  is  not  out  of  the  current  yet. " 
He  was  forty-five  years  of  age,  but,  in  spite 
of  a  young  heart,  he  began  at  moments  to 
doubt  himself,  so  that  the  lily-colored  ribbon 
and  this  observation  caused  him  real  pleasure. 
Finally,  he  talked  to  them  with  the  same 
respect  and  attention  as  with  women  of  the 
best  society,  and,  seeing  that  he  entertained 
them  more  and  more  by  this  means,  he  felt 
satisfied.  At  parting,  he  pressed  the  hands 
of  both ;  and  when  Panna  Maria  returned  the 
pressure,  with  drooping  eyelashes,  but  with 
all  the  strength  of  her  warm  young  hand,  he 
went  out  a  little  dazed,  and  with  a  head  so 
full  of  the  fair  model  that  the  driver  of  the 
117 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

carriage  in  which  he  took  a  seat  had  to  ask 
him  twice  where  he  wished  to  go. 

On  the  road  he  thought  that  it  would  not 
do  to  put  the  head  of  "  Panna  Maria  "  on  a 
body  naked  to  the  waist,  and  he  began  to 
persuade  himself  that  even  for  the  picture  it 
would  be  better  to  cast  some  light  drapery 
over  the  bosom  of  the  sleeping  maiden. 

"When  I  get  back,  I  will  bring  in  the 
first  model  I  find,  and  work  the  picture  over, 
so  that  to-morrow  the  thing  will  be  ready," 
said  he  to  himself. 

Then  it  occurred  to  him  that  still  he 
would  not  be  able  to  hire  such  a  model  as 
Panna  Cervi  permanently  and  take  her  with 
him;  at  this  thought  he  was  sorry. 

Meanwhile  the  carriage  stopped  at  the 
studio.  Svirski  paid,  and  stepped  out. 

"A  despatch  for  you,"  said  the  concierge. 

The  artist  was  roused  as  if  from  sleep. 

"Ah!  Very  well,  give  it  here!"  And 
taking  the  despatch,  he  opened  it  impatiently. 

But  he  had  scarcely  cast  his  eyes  on  it, 


118 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

when  astonishment  and  terror  were  re- 
flected on  his  face,  for  the  telegram  was  as 
follows :  — 

Kresovich  shot  himself  an  hour  ago.     Come. 

HELENA. 


119 


CHAPTER  VII 

PANI  ELZEN  met  Svirski  with  a  troubled 
and  excited  face;  her  eyes  were  dry, 
but  reddened,  as  if  from  fever,  and  full  of 
impatience. 

"Have  you  received  no  letter?"  inquired 
she,  hurriedly. 

"  No.  I  have  received  nothing  but  your 
telegram.  What  a  misfortune !  " 

"  I  thought  that  perhaps  he  had  written  to 
you." 

"  No.     When  did  it  happen  ?  " 

"This  morning  a  shot  was  heard  in  his 
chamber.  A  servant  ran  in  and  found  him 
lifeless." 

"  Was  it  here  in  the  hotel  ?  " 

"  No.  Fortunately  he  moved  to  Condamine 
yesterday. " 

"  What  was  the  cause  ? " 
120 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"How  am  I  to  know?"  answered  she, 
impatiently. 

"  So  far  as  I  have  heard  he  was  not  given 
to  play." 

"  No.     They  found  money  on  his  person. " 

"You  relieved  him  of  his  duties  yester- 
day?" 

"Yes;  but  at  his  own  request." 

"Did  he  take  the  dismissal  to  heart?  " 

"I  cannot  tell,"  answered  she,  feverishly. 
"  If  he  had  wished,  he  might  have  gone 
sooner.  But  he  was  a  madman,  and  this 
explains  everything.  Why  did  he  not  go 
sooner? " 

Svirski  looked  at  her  very  attentively. 

"Calm  yourself,"  said  he. 

But  she,  mistaken  as  to  the  meaning  of 
his  words,  answered,  — 

"There  is  so  much  that  for  me  is  dis- 
agreeable in  this,  and  there  may  be  so  much 
trouble.  Who  knows  but  I  shall  have  to 
give  some  explanation,  some  evidence  —  can 
I  tell  what  ?  Oh,  a  fatal  history !  —  besides 
there  will  be  people's  gossip.  First, 

121 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Vyadrovski's —  But  I  wanted  to  beg  you 
to  tell  among  acquaintances,  that  that  unfor- 
tunate lost  at  play,  that  he  lost  even  some 
of  my  money,  and  that  that  was  the  cause  of 
his  act.  Should  it  come  to  testifying  before 
a  court,  it  would  be  better  not  to  say  this, 
for  it  might  be  proved  untrue;  but  before 
people,  it  is  necessary  to  talk  so.  If  he  had 
gone  even  to  Mentone,  or  to  Nice !  Besides, 
God  only  knows  whether  he  has  not  written 
something  before  his  death  purposely  to 
take  revenge  on  me!  Only  let  a  letter  of 
that  sort  reach  the  papers  after  his  death! 
From  such  persons  everything  may  be  ex- 
pected. As  it  was,  I  wished  to  leave  here; 
but  now  I  must  —  " 

Svirski  looked  more  and  more  attentively 
at  her  angry  face,  at  her  compressed  lips, 
and  said  at  last,  — 

"  An  unheard-of  thing ! " 

"Really  unheard  of!  But  would  it  not 
increase  gossip  were  we  to  go  from  here 
to-morrow  ? " 

"I  do  not  think  it  would,"  said  Svirski. 
122 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Then  he  inquired  about  the  hotel  in  which 
Kresovich  had  shot  himself,  and  declared 
that  he  would  go  there,  get  information  from 
the  servants,  and  occupy  himself  with  the 
dead  man. 

She  tried  to  stop  him  with  uncommon 
stubbornness;  till  at  last  he  said, — 

"  Madame,  he  is  not  a  dog,  but  a  man ;  and 
it  is  necessary  in  every  case  to  bury  him." 

"Somebody  will  bury  him  anyhow,"  an- 
swered she. 

But  Svirski  took  leave  of  her  and  went 
out.  On  the  steps  of  the  hotel  he  drew  his 
hand  across  his  forehead,  then  covered  his 
head  with  his  hat  and  said,  — 

"  An  unheard-of  thing  ! " 

He  knew  from  experience  to  what  degree 
human  selfishness  may  go ;  he  knew  also  that 
women  in  selfishness,  as  well  as  in  devotion, 
surpass  the  common  measure  of  men;  he 
remembered  that  during  life  he  had  met 
typical  persons  in  whom,  under  an  external 
crust  of  polish,  was  hidden  an  animal  selfish- 
ness in  which  all  moral  sense  ended  exactly 
123 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

where  personal  interest   began;    still,    Pani 
Elzen  had  been  able  to  astonish  him. 

"Yes,"  said  he  to  himself,  "that  unfortu- 
nate was  the  tutor  of  her  children ;  he  lived 
under  the  same  roof  with  her;  and  he  was 
in  love  with  her.  And  she  ?  Not  even  one 
word  of  pity,  of  sympathy,  of  interest  — 
Nothing  and  nothing!  She  is  angry  at  him 
for  causing  her  trouble,  for  not  having  gone 
farther  away,  for  having  spoiled  her  season, 
for  exposing  her  to  the  possibility  of  appear- 
ing in  court  and  of  being  subjected  to  the 
gossip  of  people;  but  the  question  of  what 
took  place  with  that  man  has  not  entered  her 
head;  or  why  he  killed  himself,  and  if  it 
were  not  for  her  sake.  And  in  her  vexation 
she  forgot  even  this,  that  she  was  betraying 
herself  before  me;  and  if  not  for  her  heart's 
sake,  for  her  reason's  sake,  she  ought  to 
have  appeared  before  me  differently.  But 
what  spiritual  barbarism !  Appearances, 
appearances,  and  under  that  French  bodice 
and  accent,  absence  of  soul  and  a  primitive 
African  nature,  —  a  genuine  daughter  of 
124 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

Ham.  Civilization  stuck  onto  the  skin,  like 
powder !  And  this  same  woman  asks  me  to 
report  around  that  he  played  away  her 
money.  Tfu!  May  a  thunderbolt  split  her !" 

With  such  thoughts  and  imprecations  he 
reached  Condamine,  where  he  found  easily 
the  little  hotel  in  which  the  event  had  taken 
place.  There  was  a  doctor  in  Kresovich's 
room,  also  an  official  of  the  tribunal,  who 
rejoiced  at  the  artist's  arrival,  hoping  that 
he  would  be  able  to  give  some  items  con- 
cerning the  dead  man. 

"The  suicide,"  said  the  official,  "left  a 
letter  directing  to  bury  him  in  a  common 
ditch  so  as  to  send  the  money  on  his  person 
to  Zurich,  to  a  given  address.  Moreover, 
he  has  burned  all  papers,  as  is  shown  by 
traces  in  the  chimney." 

Svirski  looked  at  Kresovich,  who  was 
lying  on  the  bed  with  open,  terrified  eyes, 
and  with  lips  pursed  together,  as  if  to 
whistle. 

"The  dead  man  considered  himself  an 
incurable,"  said  the  artist;  "he  mentioned 
I25 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

that  himself  to  me,  and  took  his  life  very 
likely  for  that  reason.  He  never  entered 
the  Casino." 

Then  he  told  all  that  he  knew  concerning 
Kresovich,  and  afterward  left  the  money 
needed  for  a  separate  grave,  and  went  out. 

Along  the  road  he  recalled  what  Kresovich 
had  said  to  him.  in  Nice  about  microbes,  as 
well  as  his  answer  to  Vyadrovski,  that  he 
would  enroll  himself  in  the  party  of  the 
"silent; "  and  he  reached  the  conviction  that 
the  young  student  had  really  occupied  him- 
self for  a  long  time  with  the  project  of 
taking  his  own  life,  and  that  the  main  cause 
of  his  act  was  the  conviction  that  he  was 
condemned  to  death  in  every  case. 

But  he  understood  that  there  might  be 
collateral  causes,  and  among  them  his  un- 
happy love  for  Pani  Elzen,  and  the  parting 
with  her.  These  thoughts  filled  him  with 
sadness.  The  corpse  of  Kresovich,  with 
lips  fixed  as  if  for  whistling,  and  with  the 
terror  before  death  in  his  eyes,  did  not  leave 
the  artist's  mind.  But  he  thought  that  no 
126 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

one  would  sink  into  that  terrible  night  with- 
out dread,  and  that  all  life,  in  view  of  the 
inevitableness  of  death,  is  one  immense, 
tragic  absurdity;  and  he  returned  to  Pani 
Elzen  in  great  depression  of  spirit. 

She  drew  a  deep  breath  of  relief  when  she 
learned  that  Kresovich  had  left  no  papers. 
She  declared  that  she  would  send  as  much 
money  as  might  be  needed  for  his  funeral; 
and  only  then  did  she  speak  of  him  with  a 
certain  regret.  She  strove  in  vain,  however, 
to  detain  Svirski  for  a  couple  of  hours.  He 
answered  that  he  was  not  himself  that  day, 
and  must  return  home. 

"  Then  we  shall  meet  in  the  evening,"  said 
she,  giving  him  her  hand  at  parting.  "  I 
intended  even  to  drop  in  at  Nice  and  go  with 
you." 

"Where?"  asked  Svirski,  with  astonish- 
ment. 

"Have  you  forgotten?  To  the  'For- 
midable.' " 

"Ah!     Are  you  going  to  that  ball?" 

"  If  you  knew  how  weighed  down  I  am, 
127 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

especially  after  such  a  sad  event,  you  would 
weep  over  me.  I  am  sorry,  too,  for  that 
poor  fellow;  but  it  is  necessary  —  it  is  neces- 
sary even  for  this  reason,  that  people  should 
not  make  suppositions." 

"Is  it?     Till  we  meet  again  !  "  said  Svirski. 

And  a  moment  later,  while  sitting  in  the 
train,  he  said  to  himself, — 

"  If  I  go  with  you  to  the  '  Formidable,'  or 
any  other  place,  I  am  a  dead  crab !  " 


128 


CHAPTER  VIII 

BUT     next    morning,    he    received    Pani 
Cervi  and    Panna  Maria  with  a  glad- 
der heart.     At   sight   of  the  fair,  fresh  face 
of  the  girl  even  delight  seized  him. 

Everything  had  been  prepared  in  the 
studio ;  the  easel  was  in  its  place ;  the  sofa 
for  the  model  pushed  forward  and  covered 
properly.  Pani  Lageat  had  received  the 
strictest  command  not  to  admit  any  one,  not 
even  "  Queen  Victoria  herself,"  should  she 
come.  Svirski  now  opened  and  now  closed 
the  curtains  which  hid  the  window  of  the 
skylight;  but  while  drawing  the  cords  he 
looked  unceasingly  at  his  charming  model. 

Meanwhile  the  ladies  removed  their  hats, 
and  Panna  Maria  inquired,  — 

"What  must  I  do  now?" 

"  First  of  all,  it  is  necessary  to  let  down 
your  hair,"  said  Svirski. 
9  129 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

He  approached  her,  and  she  raised  both 
hands  to  her  head.  It  was  clear  that  this 
confused  her  somewhat,  and  seemed  strange, 
but  also  nice.  Svirski  gazed  at  her  confused 
face,  at  her  drooping  eyelashes,  at  her  form 
bent  backward,  at  her  exquisite  outline  of 
hips,  and  said  to  himself  that,  in  that  great 
dust-heap  of  Nice,  he  had  discovered  a  gen- 
uine double  pearl. 

The  hair  fell,  after  a  moment,  on  her 
shoulders.  Panna  Maria  shook  her  head, 
wishing  to  spread  her  hair,  which  then  cov- 
ered her  completely. 

"  Corpo  Dio  !  "  exclaimed  Svirski. 

Then  came  the  turn  for  a  more  difficult 
task,  —  placing  the  model. 

Svirski  saw  plainly  that  her  heart  was  beat- 
ing with  more  life  in  the  maiden,  that  her 
breast  was  moving  more  quickly,  that  her 
cheeks  were  flushed,  that  she  had  to  conquer 
herself  and  overcome  an  instinctive  resistance, 
which  she  herself  could  not  define,  and  at  the 
same  time  she  was  yielding  with  a  certain 
alarm  which  resembled  an  unknown  delight. 
130 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

"  No !  this  is  no  common  model,"  said 
Svirski  to  himself;  "  this  is  something  else; 
and  I  am  not  looking  on  her  merely  as  an 
artist."  In  fact,  he  also  felt  troubled,  and  his 
fingers  trembled  a  little  while  he  was  placing 
her  head  on  the  pillow ;  but,  wishing  to  save 
her  and  himself  from  embarrassment,'  he 
spoke  to  her  jestingly,  feigning  temper. 

"  Lie  quietly,  in  that  way !  Besides,  we 
must  do  something  for  art.  Oh,  the  position 
is  perfect  now !  In  this  way  the  profile  comes 
out  beautifully  on  the  red  background.  If 
you  could  see  it !  But  that  cannot  be.  You 
must  not  laugh !  You  must  sleep.  Now  I 
will  paint." 

And  he  began  to  paint ;  but  while  painting 
he  chatted,  as  his  custom  was,  told  stories, 
and  asked  Pani  Cervi  of  past  times.  He 
learned  from  her  that  "  Maria "  had  held  a 
good  position  the  year  before  as  reader  for 
a  Polish  countess,  the  daughter  of  a  great 
manufacturer  of  Lodz,  Atrament  by  name; 
but  the  position  lasted  only  till  the  countess 
learned  that  Maria's  father  and  grandfather 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

had  served  in  the  Italian  army.  This  was  a 
great  disappointment,  for  the  dream  of  mother 
and  daughter  had  been  that  Maria  should 
hold  such  a  place  with  some  lady  who  passed 
every  winter  in  Nice ;  for  in  that  case  they 
would  have  no  need  to  separate. 

The  artist  was  roused  in  Svirski  meanwhile. 
He  wrinkled  his  brows,  concentrated  his  mind, 
looked  across  the  handle  of  the  brush,  and 
painted  persistently.  From  time  to  time  he 
laid  down  the  pallet,  approached  the  model, 
and,  taking  her  lightly  by  the  temples,  cor- 
rected the  position  of  her  head.  At  such 
movements  he  bent  toward  her  more  nearly 
perhaps  than  was  required  by  the  interest  of 
art;  and,  when  the  warmth  from  her  youthful 
body  struck  him,  when  he  looked  at  her  long 
eyelashes  and  her  lips  slightly  parted,  a 
quiver  went  through  his  bones,  his  fingers 
began  to  tremble  nervously,  and  in  spirit  he 
called  to  himself,  — 

"Hold  up,  old  man!  What  the  deuce  is 
this  ?  hold  up  !  " 

She  simply  pleased  him  with  his  whole 
132 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

soul.  Her  confusion,  her  blushes,  her  timid 
glances,  which  still  were  not  devoid  of  maiden 
coquettishness,  made  him  happy  beyond  ex- 
pression. All  this  proved  to  Svirski  that  she 
did  not  look  on  him  as  too  old.  He  felt  that 
he  pleased  her  also.  The  grandfather  in 'his 
time  must  have  told  her  wonderful  things 
about  his  countrymen;  he  had  roused  her 
imagination,  perhaps;  and  now  at  last  one 
of  them  had  come  in  her  way — not  some 
common  man,  but  one  honorable  and  famous, 
who,  besides,  had  appeared  as  in  a  fairy  tale, 
at  the  moment  of  direst  need,  with  assistance 
and  an  honest  heart.  How  could  she  help 
feeling  sympathy  for  him,  and  looking  at  him 
with  interest  and  gratitude? 

All  this  caused  the  time  to  pass  for  Svirski 
till  midday  in  such  a  manner  that  he  did  not 
even  notice  it.  But  at  midday  Panna  Maria 
was  the  first  to  declare  that  she  must  return, 
for  her  grandfather  was  alone,  and  it  was  time 
to  think  of  lunch  for  him.  Svirski  then 
begged  the  ladies  to  come  in  the  afternoon. 
If  they  could  not  leave  the  old  man  alone, 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

perhaps  they  had  an  acquaintance  who  would 
consent  to  stay  with  him  for  two  hours. 
Maybe  the  gatekeeper,  or  her  husband,  or 
some  one  else  of  the  family  would  do  so?  It 
was  a  question  of  the  picture.  Two  sittings 
a  day  would  be  an  excellent  thing!  After 
that  there  might  be  some  new  work;  mean- 
while, two  sittings  a  day  would  be  useful  for 
both  sides.  If  there  should  be  expense  in 
finding  some  one  to  care  for  the  old  man,  he, 
Svirski,  would  consider  it  a  favor  if  he  were 
permitted  to  bear  it,  for  first  of  all  he  was 
anxious  about  the  picture. 

Two  sittings  were  really  too  profitable  to  be 
refused  by  Pani  Cervi  in  view  of  poverty  at 
home.  It  was  agreed,  therefore,  that  they 
would  come  at  two  in  the  afternoon.  Mean- 
while the  fortunate  Svirski  resolved  to  con- 
duct them  home.  At  the  gate  they  were  met 
by  his  hostess,  who  gave  Svirski  a  bunch  of 
moss  roses,  saying  that  they  were  brought 
by  two  handsome  boys  attended  by  a  won- 
derfully dressed  servant.  The  boys  wanted 
absolutely  to  enter  the  studio;  but  she,  re- 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

membering  his  command,  did  not  permit 
them. 

Svirski  answered  that  she  had  done  well, 
then,  taking  the  roses,  he  gave  them  all  to 
Panna  Maria.  After  awhile  they  were  on  the 
"  Promenade  des  Anglais."  To  Svirski,  Nice 
seemed  beautiful  and  animated  in  a  way  that 
he  had  never  seen  before.  The  variety  and 
bustle  on  the  "  Promenade,"  which  had 
angered  him  at  other  times,  began  now  to 
amuse  him.  On  the  way  he  saw  Vyadrovski 
and  De  Sinten,  who  halted  at  sight  of  him. 
Svirski  bowed  and  went  on,  but  in  passing 
he  noted  how  De  Sinten  put  a  monocle  to  his 
eye  to  look  at  Panna  Cervi,  and  heard  his 
"  Prristi !  "  1  full  of  astonishment.  Both  even 
followed  them  awhile,  but  opposite  the  "  Jete"e 
Promenade "  Svirski  called  a  carriage  and 
took  the  ladies  home. 

On  the  way,  he  was  seized  by  a  desire  to 
invite  the  whole  family  to  lunch;  but  he 
thought  that  there  would  be  trouble  with  the 
old  man,  and  that,  in  view  of  their  short  ac- 

1  For  the  French  Sapristi. 

'35 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

quaintance,  Pani  Cervi  might  be  surprised  at 
such  a  sudden  invitation.  But  he  promised 
himself  that  when  the  grandfather  had  some 
person  to  care  for  him  he  would,  under  pre- 
text of  saving  time,  arrange  a  lunch  in  the 
studio.  Taking  leave  of  the  mother  and 
daughter  at  the  gate,  he  hurried  into  the  first 
hotel  he  found  and  ordered  lunch.  He  swal- 
lowed a  few  kinds  of  food,  without  knowing 
himself  what  he  was  eating.  Pani  Elzen, 
Romulus,  and  Remus,  with  the  moss  roses, 
shot  through  his  mind  repeatedly,  but  in  a 
way  which  was  really  ghostlike.  A  few  days 
before  the  beautiful  widow  and  their  relations 
were  questions  of  prime  importance  for  him, 
over  which  he  had  tortured  his  head  not  a 
little.  He  recalled  also  that  internal  struggle 
through  which  he  had  passed  on  the  sea  while 
returning  to  Villa  Franca.  Now  he  said  to 
himself,  "  This  has  ceased  to  exist  for  me, 
and  I  will  not  think  again  of  it."  So  he  felt 
not  the  least  alarm,  not  the  least  compunc- 
tion. On  the  contrary,  it  seemed  to  him  that 
a  kind  of  oppressive  burden  had  dropped 
136 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

from  his  shoulders,  and  all  his  thoughts  ran 
to  Panna  Cervi.  His  eyes  and  his  head  were 
full  of  her ;  by  the  power  of  imagination  he 
saw  her  again,  with  dishevelled  hair  and 
closed  eyelids ;  and  when  he  thought  that  in 
an  hour  he  would  touch  her  temples  with  his 
fingers,  that  he  would  bend  over  her  again 
and  feel  the  warmth  radiating  from  her,  he 
felt  elated,  as  if  by  wine,  and  for  the  second 
time  asked  himself,  — 

"  Hei,  old  man,  what  is  happening  thee?" 
When  he  reached  home,  he  found  a  tele- 
gram from  Pani  Elzen,  "  I  expect  you  to  din- 
ner at  six."  Svirski  crushed  the  paper  and 
put  it  in  his  pocket;  when  Pani  Cervi  and 
her  daughter  arrived,  he  had  forgotten  it  al- 
together, so  that  when  his  work  was  done  at 
five  he  began  to  think  where  to  dine,  and  was 
angry  that  he  had  nothing  to  do  with,  himself 
that  evening. 


'37 


CHAPTER   IX 

NEXT  day  when  Pani  Lageat  brought  a 
lunch  for  three  persons  to  the  studio, 
she  stated  that  an  hour  before  the  same  two 
handsome  boys  had  come,  this  time,  how- 
ever, not  with  a  strangely  dressed  servant, 
but  with  a  youthful  and  beautiful  lady. 

"  The  lady  wanted  absolutely  to  see  you ; 
but  I  told  her  that  you  had  gone  to  An- 
tibes." 

"  To  Toulon !  to  Toulon ! "  cried  the 
artist,  joyously. 

Next  morning  there  was  no  one  to  whom 
Pani  Lageat  could  give  that  answer,  for  only 
a  letter  came.  Svirski  did  not  read  it.  That 
day  it  happened  that  while  trying  to  correct 
Panna  Cervi's  "  position,"  he  put  his  hand 
under  her  shoulder,  and  raised  her  so  that 
their  bosoms  almost  met,  and  her  breath 
struck  his  face.  Meanwhile  her  face  changed 
138 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

from  emotion,  and  he  said  to  himself  that  if 
such  a  moment  lasted  longer,  it  would  be 
worth  while  to  give  life  for  it. 

That  evening  he  talked  to  himself  as  fol- 
lows: "The  senses  are  playing  in  thee,  but 
not  as  at  other  times;  now  thy  soul  rushes 
forth  after  them,  and  rushes  forth  because 
this  is  a  child  who  in  this  '  pudridero '  of  Nice 
has  remained  as  pure  as  a  tear.  This  is  not 
even  her  merit,  but  her  nature ;  where  could 
such  another  be  found?  This  time  I  am  not 
deceiving  myself,  and  I  am  not  talking  any- 
thing into  myself,  for  reality  is  speaking." 

And  it  seemed  to  him  that  a  sweet  dream 
was  taking  hold  of  him.  Unfortunately, 
after  sleep  comes  waking.  To  Svirski,  it 
came  two  days  later  in  the  form  of  one  more 
telegram,  which,  shoved  in  through  an  open- 
ing in  the  door  intended  for  letters  and  news- 
papers, fell  on  the  floor  in  presence  of  both 
women. 

Panna  Maria,  while  preparing  to  let  down 
her  hair,  saw  the  telegram  first,  and,  raising 
the  envelope,  handed  it  to  Svirski. 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

He  opened  it  unwillingly,  looked;  and 
confusion  was  evident  on  his  face. 

"  Pardon  me,  ladies,"  said  he,  after  a  while. 
"  I  have  received  such  news  that  I  must  go 
at  once." 

"  I  hope  at  least  that  it  is  nothing  bad," 
said  Panna  Maria,  with  alarm. 

"  No,  no !  But  perhaps  I  shall  not  be  able 
to  return  to  the  afternoon  sitting.  In  every 
case  work  is  over  for  to-day ;  but  to-morrow 
I  shall  be  calm." 

Then  he  took  leave  of  them  somewhat 
feverishly,  but  with  exceeding  cordiality,  and 
next  moment  he  was  in  a  carriage  which,  at  his 
command,  was  to  go  straight  to  Monte  Carlo. 

When  he  had  passed  the  "Jetee  Prome- 
nade," he  took  out  the  telegram  and  read  it 
again.  It  was  as  follows :  — 

I  expect  you  this  afternoon ;  if  you  do  not 
come  by  the  four- o'clock  train,  I  shall  know  what 
to  think,  and  how  to  act.  MORPHINE. 

Svirski  was  simply  frightened  at  the  signa- 
ture, especially  as  he  was  under  the  recent 
140 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

impression  of  the  event  with  Kresovich. 
"  Who  knows,"  said  he  in  his  mind,  "  to  what 
a  woman  may  be  brought,  not  by  genuine 
love,  but  by  wounded  vanity?  I  should  not 
have  acted  as  I  have.  It  was  easy  to  answer 
her  first  letter  —  and  break  with  her.  It  is 
not  proper  to  trifle  with  any  one,  whether 
good  or  bad.  At  present  I  must  break  with 
her  decisively ;  but  I  must  go  without  waiting 
for  the  four-o'clock  train." 

And  he  urged  on  the  driver.  At  moments 
he  strengthened  himself  with  the  hope  that 
Pani  Elzen  would  not  in  any  case  attempt  her 
own  life.  That  seemed  utterly  unlike  her. 
But  at  moments  he  was  possessed  by  doubt. 
If  that  monstrous  egotism  of  hers  is  turned 
into  a  feeling  of  offence,  would  it  not  urge 
her  to  some  insane  act? 

He  remembered  that  there  was  a  certain 
stubbornness  in  her  character,  a  certain  de- 
cision, and  no  little  courage.  Regard  for  her 
children,  it  is  true,  ought  to  restrain  her;  but 
did  she  really  care  for  those  children?  And 
at  thought  of  what  might  happen,  the  hair 
141 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

rose  on  his  head.  Conscience  moved  in  him 
again,  and  a  profound  internal  struggle  began. 
The  picture  of  Panna  Cervi  passed  before 
his  eyes  every  moment,  rousing  bitter  and 
immense  regret.  He  repeated  to  himself,  it 
is  true,  that  he  was  going  to  break  with  Pani 
Elzen,  that  he  would  break  with  her  deci- 
sively; at  the  bottom  of  his  soul,  however, 
he  felt  a  great  fear.  What  would  happen  if 
that  woman,  vain  and  malicious,  as  well  as 
determined,  should  say  to  him,  "  Thee,  or 
morphine  "  ?  And  meanwhile,  with  the  alarm 
and  uncertainty,  there  was  born  in  his  mind 
a  disgust;  for  it  seemed  to  him  that  the  ques- 
tion could  be  put  that  way  only  by  some 
counterfeit  heroine  belonging  to  "  vile  litera- 
ture." But  still  what  would  happen  if  she 
should  put  it  so?  In  society,  especially  in 
the  society  of  Nice,  there  are  many  women 
who  belong  to  "vile  literature." 

In  the  midst  of  these  thoughts,  and  in  a 

cloud    of  gray   dust,  he    arrived    finally    at 

Monte  Carlo,  and  ordered  the  driver  to  stop 

in  front  of  the  Hotel  de  Paris.     But  before 

142 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

he  had  time  to  alight  he  descried  Romulus 
and  Remus  on  the  turf  with  netted  clubs  in 
their  hands,  throwing  up  balls  under  the  care 
of  a  Cossack  whom  Pani  Lageat  had  called 
the  strangely  dressed  servant.  They,  when 
they  saw  him,  ran  up. 

"  Good-day,  sir !  " 

"  Good-day." 

"  Good-day  !     Is  mamma  upstairs?  " 

"  No.  Mamma  has  gone  bicycling  with 
M.  de  Sinten." 

Silence  followed. 

"  Ah !  mamma  has  gone  bicycling  with 
De  Sinten  ?  "  repeated  Svirski.  "  Well !  " 

And  after  a  while  he  added,  — 

"  True !  she  expected  me  only  at  four 
o'clock." 

Then  he  began  to  laugh. 

"  The  tragedy  ends  in  a  farce.  But  this, 
however,  is  the  Riviera !  Still,  what  an  ass 
I  am !  " 

"Will  you  wait  for  mamma?"  asked 
Romulus. 

"  No.     Listen,  my   boys.     Tell  your  mam- 

MS 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

ma  that  I  came  to  say  good-bye  to  her,  and 
that  I  am  sorry  not  to  find  her,  because  I 
am  going  on  a  journey  to-day." 

Then  he  gave  directions  to  return  to  Nice. 
That  evening  he  received  one  telegram 
more,  in  which  there  was  the  single  word, 
"  Scoundrel !  " 

After  reading  it  he  fell  into  excellent 
humor,  for  the  telegram  was  not  signed  this 
time,  "  Morphine." 


144 


CHAPTER   X 

TWO  weeks  later  the  picture  "  Sleep  and 
Death "  was  finished.  Svirski  began 
another  which  he  intended  to  call  "  Euterpe." 
But  his  work  did  not  advance.  He  said  that 
the  light  was  too  sharp ;  and  for  whole  sit- 
tings, instead  of  painting,  he  was  looking  at 
the  bright  face  of  Panna  Cervi.  He  seemed 
to  be  seeking  the  proper  expression  for  Eu- 
terpe. He  gazed  so  persistently  that  the 
lady  grew  red  under  the  influence  of  his 
eyes;  he  felt  in  his  breast  an  increasing  dis- 
quiet. At  last,  on  a  certain  morning,  he  said 
suddenly  in  a  kind  of  strange,  altered  voice,  — 

"  I  notice  that  you  ladies  love  Italy  im- 
mensely." 

"  We  and  grandfather,"  answered  Panna 
Cervi. 

"  I,  too.  Half  my  life  passes  in  Rome  and 
in  Florence.  There  the  light  is  not  so  sharp 
10  145 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

at  present,  and  it  would  be  possible  to  paint 
whole  days.  Oh,  yes !  Who  could  help 
loving  Italy !  And  do  you  know  what  I 
think  sometimes?  " 

Panna  Maria  lowered  her  head,  and,  opening 
her  lips  somewhat,  began  to  look  at  him  care- 
fully, as  she  always  did  when  listening  to  him. 

"  I  think  that  every  man  has  two  father- 
lands :  one  his  own,  the  nearer,  and  the  other 
Italy.  Only  think,  all  culture,  all  art,  all 
science,  everything  came  from  there.  Let  us 
take,  for  instance,  the  Renaissance.  ... 
Really,  all  are,  if  not  the  children,  at  least  the 
grandchildren  of  Italy." 

"True,"  answered  Panna  Maria. 

"  I  do  not  know  whether  I  mentioned  that 
I  have  a  studio  in  the  Via  Margutta  in  Rome, 
and  that  when  the  light  becomes  too  sharp  in 
this  studio  I  am  yearning  for  that  one.  Here 
it  is  —  if  we  should  all  go  to  Rome  —  that 
would  be  perfect !  Afterward  we  could  go  to 
Warsaw." 

"  There  is  no  way  to  carry  out  that  plan," 
answered  Panna  Maria,  with  a  sad  smile. 
146 


On  the  Bright  Shore 

But  he  approached  her  quickly,  and,  taking 
her  two  hands,  began  to  speak,  looking  at  her 
with  the  greatest  tenderness  in  his  eyes. 

"  There  is  a  way,  dear  lady,  there  is  a  way ! 
Do  you  not  divine  it?  " 

And  when  she  grew  pale  from  happiness, 
he  pressed  both  her  palms  to  his  breast  and 
added,  — 

"  Give  me  thyself  and  thine  —  " 


J47 


By  the  Author  of  "  Quo  Vadis 


THE 

NOVELS  OF  HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ 

AUTHORIZED  AND   UNABRIDGED  TRANS- 
LATIONS   FROM    THE    ORIGINAL   POLISH 

By  JEREMIAH  CURTIN 

COMMENDED  IN  THE   HIGHEST  TERMS  BY 
CRITICS  AND  WRITERS 

* 

From  the  autJwr  of  "  Quo  Vadit." 

Messrs.  LITTLE,  BROWN,   6»  CO. 

Gentlemen :  —  Having  concluded  with  you  an  agreement  con- 
cerning my  novels,  translated  by  M.  Jeremiah  Curtin,  and  published 
by  your  house,  I  have  the  honour  to  declare,  that  the  publication  of 
these  novels  by  other  publishers  -would  be  done  against  my  will  and 
interest.  As  far  as  I  know,  I  cannot  put  a  legal  stop  to  their  publi- 
cation by  others,  but  I  think  that  public  opinion  in  your  country 
might  in  this  case  take  the  place  of  la-w,  since  the  feeling  of  commer- 
cial honour  is  so  highly  developed  in  the  United  States. 

Yours  truly, 

HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ. 


Qpo  Vadis 


Qf  intense  interest  to  the  whole  Christian  civilization.  —  Chicago 
Tribune. 

"  Quo  VADIS."  A  Narrative  of  the  Time  of  Nero.  By 
HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ.  Translated  from  the  Polish 
by  JEREMIAH  CURTIN.  Library  Edition.  Crown 
8vo.  Cloth,  $2.00. 

"Quo  VADIS."  ILLUSTRATED  HOLIDAY  EDITION. 
With  maps  and  plans  of  Ancient  Rome,  and  twenty- 
seven  photogravure  plates  from  pictures  by  Howard 
Pyle,  Edmund  H.  Garrett,  E.  Van  Muyden  and  other 
artists.  2  vols.  8vo.  Cloth,  extra,  gilt  top,  in  box, 
$6.00.  Half  crushed  Levant  morocco,  extra,  gilt  top, 
$12.00. 

Hania 

There  is  no  mistaking  the  massive  art  and  the  wild,  fierce  strength  of 
the  hand  that  wrote  "  Quo  Vadis  "  and  "  With  Fire  and  Sword."  There 
is  a  Titanic  ruggedness  both  in  the  characters  and  the  incidents  that  is  at 
once  barbaric  and  fascinating.  —  Chicago  Tribune. 

HANIA.  By  HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ.  Translated  from 
the  Polish  by  Jeremiah  Curtin.  With  photogravure 
frontispiece  of  the  author  and  his  daughter.  Crown 
8vo.  Cloth,  $2.00. 

With  Fire  and  Sword 

The  only  modern  romance  with  which  it  can  be  compared  for  fire, 
tprightliness,  rapidity  of  action,  swift  changes,  and  absorbing  interest  is 
"  The  Three  Musketeers  "  of  Dumas.  —  New  York  Tribune. 

WITH  FIRE  AND  SWORD.  An  Historical  Novel  of 
Poland  and  Russia.  By  HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ. 
Translated  from  the  Polish  by  JEREMIAH  CURTIN. 
With  photogravure  portrait  of  the  author.  Crown 
8vo.  Cloth,  $2.00. 


The  Deluge 

It  even  surpasses  in  interest  and  power  the  same  author's  romance 
"  With  Fire  and  Sword."  ,  .  .  The  whole  story  swarms  with  brilliant 
pictures  of  war,  and  -with  personal  episodes  of  battle  and  adventure.  —  New 
York  Tribune. 

THE  DELUGE.  An  Historical  Novel  of  Poland,  Sweden, 
and  Russia.  By  HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ.  Translated 
from  the  Polish  by  JEREMIAH  CURTIN.  A  sequel  to 
"With  Fire  and  Sword."  With  a  map  of  the  country 
at  the  period  in  which  the  events  of  "  The  Deluge " 
and  "With  Fire  and  Sword"  take  place.  2  vols. 
Crown  8vo.  Cloth,  $3.00. 

Pan  Michael 

No  word  less  than  "  Excelsior  "  will  justly  describe  the  achievement 
of  the  trilogy  of  novels  of  which  "  Pan  Michael'1''  is  the  last.  —  Baltimore 
American. 

PAN  MICHAEL.  An  Historical  Novel  of  Poland,  Russia, 
and  the  Ukraine.  By  HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ.  Trans- 
lated from  the  Polish  by  JEREMIAH  CURTIN.  A 
sequel  to  "  With  Fire  and  Sword  "  and  "  The  Deluge." 
Crown  8vo.  Cloth,  $2.00. 

Children  of  the  Soil 

A  great  novel,  such  as  enriches  the  reader's  experience  and  extends 
his  mental  horizons.  One  can  compare  it  only  with  the  great  fictions  of 
onr  great  day,  and  in  that  comparison  find  it  inferior  to  very  few  of  the 
greatest.  —  W.  D.  HOWELLS,  in  "  Harper's  Weekly."^ 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SOIL.  By  HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ. 
Translated  from  the  Polish  by  JEREMIAH  CURTIN. 
Crown  8vo.  Cloth,  $2.00. 

Without  Dogma 

Intellectually  the  novel  is  a  masterpiece.  —  Christian  Union. 

WITHOUT  DOGMA.  A  Novel  of  Modern  Poland.  By 
HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ.  Translated  from  the  Polish 
by  IZA  YOUNG.  Crown  8vo.  Cloth,  $1.50. 


Yanko  the  Musician 

His  energy  and  imagination  are  gigantesque.  —  Chicago  Evening  Post. 

YANKO  THE  MUSICIAN,  AND  OTHER  STORIES.  By 
HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ.  Translated  from  the  Polish 
by  JEREMIAH  CURTIN.  Illustrated  by  EDMUND  H. 
GARRETT.  i6mo.  Cloth,  gilt,  $1.25. 

CONTENTS:  —  I.  Yanko  the  Musician.  II.  The  Lighthouse 
Keeper  of  Aspinwall.  III.  From  the  Diary  of  a  Tutor  in  Poznan. 
IV.  A  Comedy  of  Errors,  a  Sketch  of  American  Life.  V.  Bartek 
the  Victor. 

Lillian  Morris,  and  Other  Stories 

The  reminiscence  which  describes  a  bull-fight  is  a  realistic  and  brilliant 
sketch,  —  one  of  the  most  effective  accounts  of  the  Spanish  national  sport  one 
is  likely  to  find.  —  Review  of  Reviews. 

LILLIAN  MORRIS,  AND  OTHER  STORIES.  By  HENRYK 
SIENKIEWICZ.  Translated  from  the  Polish  by  JERE- 
MIAH CURTIN.  Illustrated  by  EDMUND  H.  GARRETT. 
l6mo.  Cloth,  gilt,  $1.25. 

CONTENTS: — I.  Lillian  Morris.  II.  Sachem.  III.  Angel. 
IV.  The  Bull-Fight 

Let  Us  Follow  Him 

Treated  with  masterly  grasp  and  deep,  religious  fervor.  —  Boston 

Journal. 

• 

LET  Us  FOLLOW  HIM.  By  HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ. 
Translated  from  the  Polish  by  JEREMIAH  CURTIN. 
With  photogravure  frontispiece  by  EDMUND  H.  GAR- 
RETT. i6mo.  Cloth,  gilt,  50  cents. 


LITTLE,  BROWN,  &  CO.,  Publishers 

254  Washington  Street,  Boston 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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